More Than Just Friends
by missblueeyes63
Summary: Team 1 is in a time-restricted race to find 2 kids. It's an abnormal abduction. A clue to their location came instead of a ransom demand. They follow clues in an attempt to rescue the kids. At the 6th location the team must split up. Will the kids be found? What happens to Sam and Spike? How will the team cope with what happens to them? What other events are triggered by this call?
1. Treasure Hunt

**More Than Just Friends**

* * *

 _ **Summary:**_ _Team One is in a time-restricted race to find two kids. It's an abnormal abduction. A clue to their location came instead of a ransom demand. They follow clues in an attempt to rescue the kids. At the sixth location the team must split up. Will the kids be found? What happens to Sam and Spike? How will the team cope with what happens to them?_ _What other events are triggered by this call?_

 _ **Setting:**_ _In the series it is in season four after_ _Run Jamie Run_ _._ _In my AU it is slotted several years after_ _One Hot Summer Day_ _._

 _As always this is a Sam centric story with the whole team but has many Sam/Spike brother and JAM moments. Also has protective General/Samuel scenes. At this time in the series Team One is running a six member team: Greg, Ed, Wordy, Sam, Spike and Jules._

 _ **Cautions:** Expect lots of whump to both Sam and Spike (I'm mean to them) and some to Jules too. This story contains serial killers, a rapists and a serial pedophile. Mostly I keep descriptions to vague references but there is one section in chapter 23 from the pedophiles perspective that is a bit on the graphic side. That section is clearly delineated so you can easily skip it without losing the integrity of the story. _

_**A/N:**_ _Special nod to_ _ **all my readers that provide me input and encourage me to keep writing**_ _ **by leaving me reviews or sending me PMs**_ _. Reviews do make my day. It's like a nice pat on the back or a smile letting me know that you enjoy and appreciate my efforts._

 _\- Chapter 21: The Canadian Forces have one military prison, the Canadian Forces Service Prison and Detention Barracks (CFSPDB) which is known as_ _Club Ed_ _. It is located at Canadian Forces Base Edmonton, Alberta._

 _ **Disclaimer:** I do not own Flashpoint or any of the characters from that series. I do own my original characters (OC).  
_ _In Chapter 14, dialog in italics is taken directly from the episode Run Jamie Run. Non-italic dialog in that chapter is my original content._

* * *

 **Treasure Hunt**

* * *

 _ **Blue Wing Door Supplies**_

He was on his knees scared to death. His hands were bound behind him and he could not stop the sweat from dripping in his eyes. Under the menacing glare of the tall bald man in full tactical gear he caved. "… and the old fisheries warehouses on Port Lands. Those are the only two locations I know. The warehouses on Liberty and the fisheries, I swear that's all I know" a nervous, sweaty man stammered out.

Ed holstered his weapon and yanked the cuffed man to his feet "You better not be lying to me Mr. Frazzer." He pushed the man towards the exit of the Blue Wing Door Supplies building. He called out over the headset "We got another location besides the warehouses. Sam and Spike, Bravo Team, you two head to the old fisheries on Port Lands. Wordy and I, Alpha Team, will head to the warehouses on Liberty."

"Copy that" Sam and Spike each said and gave each other a nod as they rushed out of the Blue Wing Door Supply building.

Sam said "Toss me the keys, I'll drive you navigate. Ed did you get a specific location?" Spike tossed him the keys and both quickly got in the SUV and Sam sped out of the parking area sirens blaring and lights flashing in the general direction of Port Lands.

Handing over the man to the uniform patrol officer he replied "No Frazzer only had the general location."

Spike interrupted "Then it could be in anyone of the three derelict fishery buildings." He thought not good, not good.

"I'm nearly done at Damask Steeping's apartment. Not finding anything useful. He's sanitized it almost completely and it is a bust for useful information. No personal information, no pictures, no computers, nothing. Even the fridge is empty except for several bottles of beer and some Italian sausage. I could give Sam and Spike a hand Ed" Jules offered.

Greg called out "Jules I need you here with me at Steeping's office. Tons of information we need to shift through. We need to find the real location." He removed his hat and briskly rubbed his head thinking son of a bitch. He shoved it back on and continued to shift through the tons of information. Most of it appearing to be miss-information to put them off the real location. They were running out of time.

Jules was frustrated at finding no information at Steeping's apartment but simply called out "Copy that Boss on my way. ETA 10 minutes." She headed for the SUV. The strangeness of this whole call was offsetting to her.

Sam spared a quick glance to Spike "What's our ETA to the fisheries? Got a fast route for us?"

Pulling up the GPS program and plugging in their destination Spike called "shortest route gets us there in 20 to 25 minutes tops. With traffic more likely 25 to 30 minutes. That doesn't give us much time to search all three buildings. They are huge."

Ed clenched and released his fists several times to relieve the tension. He ran to join Wordy at the last SUV at their current location. The Blue Wing Door Supplies was their sixth location to check today.

This day had started out good but had quickly turned into a wild goose chase or some heinous treasure hunt. His team had been run ragged for the past seven hours from location to location but not finding the real one. Not finding the kids.

He did not like this one damned bit. His team was now split off in three different locations. They needed to find those kids and get them home safe. He hated sending off Sam and Spike on their own but he trusted both of them to have each other's backs. Just like he and Wordy would take care of each other too.

As he hopped into the passenger seat Ed asked "Wordy what's our ETA to the warehouses on Liberty?"

While Ed was interviewing the man inside Wordy had been reviewing details on the warehouses comparing the aerial photos with information the Boss had provided. Starting the ignition Wordy answered "About 10 minutes from here? Based on the clues and details I think we should start in warehouse A32. Its features are most like what was described in the clue, but other likely ones are A45, B13, or D24. And maybe even C18."

Ed tried for calm but crap, five warehouses to check. "Boss, did you find anything more to go on that would indicate which one of those warehouses we should check first?"

Greg pursed his lips together as he continued to scan the massive amount of papers, maps and pictures. The two pictures his eyes fell on pierced him. Silently he said 'hang on kids we will find you'. He answered Ed "No nothing more so far. Start with A32 I'll keep digging."

Knowing the answer but still needing to ask again in case anything had changed Ed said "Any chance of getting another team called out to help?"

He wished he had a better answer. Teams Three and Four had done an overnight training exercise. The members of those teams were too tired to be safe or effective right now and they had their own shifts to cover tonight too. Teams Two and Six were currently involved in calls and unable to help. Team Five was off on vacation with all but their rookie member out of town. Not a good time to call in an unfamiliar rookie.

They were on their own for this one right now since using patrol officers was too risky given the traps they had encountered so far. He took a breath then replied "Answer is still no. Winnie will let me know as soon as Team Two is available. She said they seemed close to ending their situation peacefully. Team Six is still deeply engaged in their call. Those kids are relying on us, Team One, to find them and bring them home. Let's focus on that."

Five simultaneous "Copy that" were heard on the headsets.

* * *

 _ **Warehouse A32**_

Wordy and Ed exited the SUV and quickly geared up. Enroute Wordy and Ed had discussed and developed an entry and search plan of the massive warehouse. Although it might be faster to split up it would leave each vulnerable with no back up. That was an unacceptable risk for the team.

They did not know exactly what they would face. Each of the previous locations had booby traps. Some real and some that appeared to be real explosives that turned out to be fakes. The third location even had child sized mannequins dressed, tied to chairs with hoods over their heads.

The entire team had felt a sense of elation at seeing them. Only to have it dashed when it was discovered that they were in fact dummies and not the real kids. Steeping was a sick man to taunt them like that.

Ed looked at Wordy "We go careful. Slow, eyes open."

As he looked at Wordy concern filled his eyes. God he thought he had lost him today. Ed could still see bits of confetti on his uniform. The sound of a loud boom as Wordy entered that room at the fifth location had scared the hell out of him. He thought for sure Wordy had just been blown to pieces only to race up the stairs and see Wordy covered in confetti while more floated down around him.

He patted Wordy's shoulder and said "Watch for trip wires, high and low."

"Gotcha Ed" Wordy said. It sucked when he had tripped that wire but it had also been a good thing. For an instant he had thought he was a goner. That Shel would be a widow and his precious daughter's fatherless.

The trip wire turned out to be connected to a hammer that was released to slam into a piece of sheet metal making a loud booming sound. It was also connected to a bucket filled with confetti. It was not funny and not a single one of the team laughed.

But tripping it they had also found the next clue. Amongst the confetti they had found the clue that led them to the Blue Wing Door Supplies. And from here they now had two possible locations of the kids. Wordy was hoping they would find the kids soon. They were running out of time.

They carefully entered and began their search of the premises.

* * *

 _ **Steeping's Office**_

Jules raced up the three flights of stairs and down the hall to Steeping's office. She found the Boss sifting through tons of papers, maps and pictures on a large table in the middle of the office. "Wow, you were not kidding there was a ton of stuff to go through here. Where do you want me to start? What have you gone through already?"

Greg looked up and gave Jules a slight grin. Pointing to a desk under the large window he said "Start over there. I have not had a chance to look through any of that yet. I've gone through most of what was on his main desk. But it could use another set of eyes eventually."

Hurrying to the desk Jules started methodically working through the papers. This man was sending them on a well-planned hunt. She only hoped they could cut through his clues and find the right location before time ran out. They needed to find five year old Lucas Watson and his nine year old sister Jodie Watson soon based on the timeline Steeping had alluded to in the clue at the second location.

The clues at the fourth location, a bike shop, had sent her to Steeping's apartment and the Boss to Steeping's office and the rest of the team to a small candy factory. She shuddered as she remembered the sound of the boom and Ed yelling for Wordy. She took a deep calming breath. Focus and think clearly she admonished herself; that is the only way to save these kids.

As she continued looking for anything that would give her a clue she said "Boss, there is just something that does not add up."

"What'd ya mean Jules?" Greg responded.

"Why the run around? Why would Steeping take those kids then leave us clues at each location for another location? It is not the typical kidnapping for ransom? Is there something else going on?" Jules asked.

Greg stopped a moment "I've been thinking the same thing. However, I have not found anything that would give me a clue as to what else may be in play here."

Jules found a stack of photos; all of the kids. "It appears Steeping had been following the kids for quite some time. I've got pictures of them at their home, school, the park by their house, and the shopping mall. Some of these are quite old, three or four months given the date stamp printed on the picture."

Greg was currently looking at a map with over twenty locations circled on it. Six of the locations they had already checked. The warehouse and the fisheries were also circled. As were Steeping's apartment and office, the kids' school and their home and the park near their house. That left seven more possible locations.

Jules had done extensive background checking on one Damask Steeping but had come up completely blank. He did not exist, but he did exist. There was an apartment and office in his name but no driver's license, no birth certification. Just nothing else.

At this point they all realized that it was highly likely it was not his real name. Especially without any type of history found. But without anything else to call him or her they referred to the subject as Damask Steeping. Greg wondered how just who this person was and why he or she had setup this elaborate scheme.

A small part of him wondered if the person was toying with his team. But with two kids missing the team would keep moving forward and do all in their power to bring them home.

* * *

 _ **Fisheries on Port Lands**_

Spike's eyes were a bit wide and the adrenaline was pumping. Sam had driven fast, too fast in his mind. It was all he could do to type on the computer and keep from whacking his head on the window on some of Sam's turns. But they had gotten here in record time, seventeen minutes and time mattered right now.

At the back of the SUV they geared up. Spike slung his basic bomb kit over his shoulders and attached his MP5 to the harness.

Sam listened to the quiet sounds of Ed and Wordy clearing warehouse A32 as he finished clicking his MP5. He realized the chatter of two search teams in two different places might be confusing or distracting so said "Boss. Spike and I are switching over to channel two."

Greg called back "Sounds good. Jules switch to channel two so you can monitor Sam and Spike and we can pass information as necessary between teams." Jules, Sam and Spike all switched.

Sam called out "Jules have you found anything regarding the fisheries in Steeping's office? We have one very large building and two smaller ones."

"No nothing more" Jules replied.

Looking to Spike "We got blueprints?" Sam asked.

"Found old records from the 1970's but nothing more recent. These were shut down in the mid 1980's" Spike responded.

Sam and Spike conferred on the blueprints they had and determined an approach. They would clear the two smaller buildings first. Sam informed Jules "Bravo team heading to first building on north side."

Jules relayed the information to the Sarge. They both tensed. Sam and Spike had potentially outdated information. The buildings were dilapidated and left abandoned for nearly thirty years. No telling what shape they would be in. The city should have razed the buildings years ago.

On the north side of the first building they opened a door as carefully and quietly as they could. Spike oiled the rusted hinges but it still creaked rather loudly in the silence that was broken only occasionally by sea birds squawking. They moved quietly into the building and started to clear it.

Using hand signals only, the two moved in a natural rhythm born of years working closely together. Plus they had been partnered a lot since Jules was working more and more with the Boss and SRU decided to change the teams from seven to six members and create a sixth team. As a result each understood the other with few signals.

About midway though, they stopped behind a large stack of rotting wooden pallets. They saw a room off to the left that was not on the blueprints. They also located metal stairs off to the right. With a simple incline of his head to the left Sam indicated they needed to clear the room first and Spike nodded agreement.

Sam and Spike cautiously moved away from the pallets towards the door to the room. Again Spike oiled the hinges as best he could and checked for trip wires.

Finding no wires Spike slowly opened the door. This door too squeaked upon opening also. Spike was first into the room as Sam covered their rear. Sam heard a slight gasp then softly from Spike "Think we got a problem here Sam."

Sam glanced in and saw what Spike saw. Very clearly it looked like a bomb and the timer was counting down with only ten minutes left. Not enough time to clear the whole building. If the kids were here they would die if this was a real explosive and they didn't do something. Sam whispered "Can you defuse it?"

Jules heard that and stiffened. She motioned for Greg to switch channels and mouthed 'bomb' not wanting to distract Sam and Spike.

Needing to let Ed know but not wanting to distract him and Wordy unduly Greg simply said "Need to switch to channel two. Back in a moment." He switched and listened.

Spike was answering Sam at the same time "I gotta try. If this is real and the kids are here …" he did not finish they both knew. His eyes wide he removed his pack and pulled out his scanner quickly.

As lead of Bravo team Sam said "Five, you have five. If you can't you are out of here. Hear me?"

Spike replied "Copy. Now one man down range even if we don't know if it is real or not yet. Out you go."

Sam responded glancing at his watch "I'm looking for the kids for five. If I don't find them in the same time I'm out."

No, no, no, is what was going through Jules head. Get out of there Sam. It is bad enough Spike has to stay. She looked at the pictures of the kids and she knew Sam would disobey even a direct order from the Boss if he told him to leave now. She clamped her mouth shut to keep from saying anything.

Greg added "Five you both are out in five. Do I make myself clear?"

Two soft 'copy' were heard.

Sam left the door open as he headed back into the warehouse. Sam was four steps away from the door when he heard Spike say "Shit."

He turned back to Spike and started to move back to him "What's wrong Spike?"

Spike was saying "It's real, RDX" as he turned back to Sam. Before he could even call out a warning a man appeared behind Sam and swung a two-by-four piece of wood connecting hard with Sam's head. Sam staggered forward and gripped the door jab. He was slowly sinking to his knees. His eyes blinking rapidly.

In the same instant Spike was on his feet with his gun raised yelling "SRU stay where you are. Drop the weapon and hands where I can see them."

Another man appeared at the doors edge and yanked Sam's head back gripping his hair and put a gun to his head. The man responded "Drop your weapon or he's dead."

Spike's mind was racing. There were only eight minutes left on the bomb. Sam was clearly dazed and had a gun to his head. There were two men and the second was now also armed with a pistol aimed at him. He watched as the man holding Sam moved his finger toward the trigger. He could not chance it. He lowered his weapon and said "Let him go. I'm putting my weapon down. What is that you want?"

Three more men appear outside the room. Two grabbed Sam by the arms and dragged him away from the door clearing the path. The man who had had the gun to Sam's head motioned for Spike to come out of the room. Spike had to relay information "What do you and your four buddies want with us? There's a bomb in there set to explode in about seven minutes."

Sam's head was clearing a bit. It hurt like hell and wasn't sure what happened but he felt hands restraining him tightly. He saw Spike being held at gun point. He couldn't hear what was being said through the ringing in his ears. He forced himself to speak "Spike?"

Spike's eyes glanced at Sam. It was good to see his eyes clearing. But the amount of blood running down the side of his head concerned him. Although he knew even minor head wounds could bleed like a stuck pig. He replied "It's okay Sam." In his mind he knew it wasn't okay but he had to say something.

The man with the gun pointed at him said quietly "Put it on the ground, slow like. Then off with the gear."

Spike responded putting his guns on the ground "Why do you want me to put my guns down and remove my gear?"

As he asked the men holding Sam started to remove all of Sam's tact gear. They had already disarmed him. Sam seemed completely limp but then he attacked. He had one man down and out in a split second. He was on the second one when a shot rang out and a blood curdling scream was heard.

Staring wide eyed at the scene Spike couldn't believe what had happened. The man growled at him "Off with the gear now or the next one is in his head."

Sam was stripped of the rest of his tact gear and Spike was too.

Jules and Greg were doing all in their power to remain quiet. They heard Spike and bits and pieces of the other man. His voice was too low and far away to hear it all. Spike was feeding them information with his questions. Greg had muted and called into Winnie to get patrol units out they. She informed them that Team Two could respond and their ETA was four minutes.

Greg quickly relayed to Spike and Sam "Team Two ETA four minutes."

Spike heard the boss and said looking at the man still pointing the gun at him "We need to get out of here. Copy. We need to go now the bomb is set to go off in less than five minutes now."

Jules and Greg heard the sound of flesh impacting with flesh and a grunt of pain, two more gunshots and then nothing. That is until their ears were assaulted with a deafening sound of a bomb blast.


	2. Good Morning Beautiful & Plans

**Good Morning Beautiful & Plans **

* * *

_**Roll Back in Time to Earlier that Morning: Jules's Home - 3:00 am**_

Jules woke feeling warm, comfortable and secure. She always did when waking with Sam's arm draped over her and her back nestled against his chest. She felt his warm, regular slow breathes on her neck. Bliss is the first word that popped in her head this morning. There was nothing better than waking in his arms.

She glanced at the clock, thirty minutes until they officially had to wake up. She snuggled closer to him. Bliss she repeated in her head but there was something that was better than waking in his arms. Something much, much better. She turned in his arms so she faced him.

Gazing at his sleeping face she sighed. She loved to see him sleeping. His face lost all the cares of the world and the boyish charm was in full force. She inhaled deeply taking in his masculine scent. She allowed her eyes to fall closed reveling in the feelings and memories his scent always produced.

She opened her eyes once more to find gorgeous blue eyes watching her. How he woke so silently still intrigued her. It was almost as if he could sense she was awake. A slow sensual smile bloomed on his face. How did he always know what she was thinking?

Sam felt Jules move and turn towards him in his arms. He heard her inhale deeply. He thoroughly enjoyed waking like this. He could tell this morning would be great. Well to be honest with himself any morning he awoke with Jules in arms was great.

He opened his eyes without changing his breathing and gazed upon her. He could use every flattering descriptor in the world to describe what he saw and nothing would be quite right or enough, they all fell short. But he settled on beautiful and sexy this morning.

Her soft flawless skin had a glow to it this morning. Her hair was sleep mused and disarrayed with a few stray curly locks across her cheek. Sam caressed her face with his eyes taking in her dark chocolate brown eyelashes splayed against her lightly tanned skin. He traced along the arch of her delicate brows and moved down her refined cheekbones.

Sam's eyes continued down her jawline and his gaze stopped at the pulse faintly seen on her graceful neck. Sam knew when she sensed he was awake. He also sensed her need which was in sync with his need. A slow sensual smile bloomed on his face.

In his rough, gravelly morning voice he said "Good morning beautiful." Sam leaned over and captured her lips in a soft, slow burning kiss. They had time this morning. He could take it slow.

His arm tightened on her waist and pulled her closer as he deepened the kiss. Jules arm moved to the back of his head and pulled him closer as her fingers threaded through his hair. The taste of him ignited the slow burn deep inside her. Her undoing nearly always was his rough, need filled call of her name. That one word told her everything he felt for her.

"Jules" Sam groaned out as hunger burned and passion increased. Kisses increased in fervor, given and received with equal need. Both sets of hands roamed to known sensual spots exploring and igniting small fires of pleasure. Their need burned as hot, intense and all consuming as a lit match applied to a bed of dry tinder in an oxygen rich environment.

He felt when her body reached the same point of no return as his. Sam rolled on top of Jules and two become one. Sam moved slow and languid at first savoring the sensation of each other and stoking the flames. Need driven fire increased their pace. As the fire roared they reached the flash-point within seconds of each other.

Fires banked for the moment Sam rolled to his side taking Jules with him. They laid spent and satiated in each other's arms. Jules rested her head on his chest and listened to his rapidly beating heart as it began to slow to it normal pace. Her hand moved to caress his face and she felt his hand drawing slow circles on her back.

They lay there basking in the afterglow neither needing to speak. Their minds were uncannily linked. All that was truly needed between them right now was touch. Body connected to body. Together.

Jules sensed then felt his need growing again. In a husky, well-loved voice Jules said "Hey soldier, ready for another tour." She kissed the swiftly beating pulse at his neck then moved to straddle him. His eyes locked with hers. She was blown away at the intensity and desire in his eyes. They bore into the inner recesses of her soul claiming her as his forever.

Keeping their gazes locked she began a slow rocking. His hands moved to her hips forcing a quicker, deeper pace. The apex came fast and furious this time and she collapsed onto his chest. Jules lay there as his arms encircled her never wanting to move.

Here with Sam was perfect. She felted wholly loved and cared for in his arms. Nothing bad would ever happen to her while she was held gently within his strong, protective arms. In Sam's arms was where she wanted to be always.

Sam sighed deeply. With Jules in his arms, in his life, he could live. She was his heart, his passion, his sexy sniper chick. Life was great.

Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz.

Sam's long arm reached out and hit the alarm clock silencing the annoying sound. Jules lifted her head, smiled and said "I guess it's time for you to get up."

A boyish, mischievous grin covered Sam's face as he said "Done that twice already. Not sure a third is in me at the moment."

Jules giggled and punched him lightly in the arm "Sam your incorrigible." Then she rolled onto her side of the bed and stood up.

Sam raised himself on his elbows "But that's what you love about me." He gave her a WOW smile.

Her eyes sparkled as she said "Just one of the things. Now get your butt out of bed and into the shower. We were almost late yesterday and I don't want to repeat that."

"You know if we shower together I might manage a third" Sam baited Jules.

Jules grabbed her light robe and threw it on "Nope not happening today. That's why we were almost late yesterday. I'll go start breakfast. You in the shower now."

Sam rolled out of bed and stood stretching his arms wide. Jules walked close to him on her way out the door and his hands snaked out and grabbed her pulling her back to his chest. He leaned down and inhaled deeply. Plain and simple he was addicted to her. At the nape of her neck he brushed a soft kiss then said "Please coffee and no mango smoothie this morning."

How could she resist "Coffee it is for you then." She pulled out of his light embrace and headed for the door. She stopped at the door and turned.

She watched his long, slow stride to the bathroom taking in his full body. She never saw the scars that littered his body from more injuries than she cared to ever count. All she saw was the breath-taking man she loved with her whole heart and soul. Life would have no meaning without him.

As he entered the bathroom she shook herself out of her post love-making daze and padded down the stairs to make breakfast.

Sam bounded down the stairs completely energized for the day. Instantly the aroma of fresh brewed coffee wafted around him along with another delicious aroma. He smiled. She was amazing. He entered the kitchen and there on the small island breakfast bar sat a steaming cup of coffee and an omelet.

Jules was seated in front of him sipping her mango protein smoothie. "Ah thanks Jules. You are the best. I'm starving." He slid out the stool and sat down picking up the coffee and taking a drink.

As he dug into the breakfast Jules rose "I'll be ready in fifteen."

Nodding Sam swallowed then said "I got the dishes. You want the rest of your smoothie to go?" Jules nodded yes then headed for the stairs.

While Jules showered and dressed Sam finished breakfast. He transferred the rest of Jules smoothie to the to go cup then washed and put away the dishes.

Fifteen minutes later they met at the bottom of the stairs. Giving Jules a boyish grin Sam asked "So what's today's tactical entry plan?"

Jules laughed "Well, seeing that I quote gave you a ride home from the Goose last night because you swilled more beer than you could hold and your truck is still at the barn. I guess it would be okay for us to arrive together. We just need to approach the entrance from your direction not mine."

Sam leaned down and kissed her lightly on the cheek, wanting more, but knowing it was time to transition back to best friend mode. But he couldn't help saying "I'm gonna have to fake drunk off my ass more often so we can arrive together."

Jules kissed him back the same way completing their transition ritual "Well if you do you're gonna have Ed and the Boss on your butt sending you to AA or counseling thinking the job is getting to you."

"Well there's that." Sam sighed heading out the door. Someday he thought. Someday they would be able to be out in the open. But for now it was their secret. Not a soul either of them knew was in on their secret.

It was hard to maintain the façade some days. Both wished they could share their secret happiness with the people that meant the most to them, the team. But both had realized that was not possible.

So for now, they maintained their secret because life was too short and they needed each other to survive. That bastard Toth had made them both realize it. They knew being together carried some risks, some might say unacceptable risk. But to them the unacceptable risk was not being together.

* * *

 _ **Fisheries on Port Lands – 4:00 am**_

He paced back and forth tapping his forehead in the upstairs room. His plan was just about set. Months and months of observation, planning and preparation had gone into this. There was nothing more he loved than a good game of hide and seek coupled with a treasure hunt.

But those were just the tools to achieve his real goal. His goal was in reach and it would be fun to watch it play out. Sure there was simple approach but what fun was there in going about it simply.

"Master. I just got word from Saul that the candy factory and the bike shops are set. Kwon is finishing at the warehouses. Pedro is nearly finished here. All the other locations are completely set too except for the Blue Wing Door Supplies. Keith is having difficulty with the stooge he arranged for that location" Zhang stated.

"What's the problem?" a gruff voice said.

"Seems the idiot is high as a kite right now. Keith doesn't think he will be down in time" Zhang responded.

"Whack him and get a replacement. Just make sure who ever it is can play the part convincingly. It has to appear that he is giving out the second location unwillingly and at the last minute. Otherwise the team is unlikely to split up. I need them to split for this to work. Oh and get rid of Keith too, he failed me here. I don't like flies in my ointment." the gruff voice said with no emotion.

Zhang nodded and ran off to do as his master instructed him to do immediately. His master was more than a touch crazy and vicious at the same time. If he kept his mouth shut and did as told he just might survive another day.

* * *

 _ **SRU HQ Briefing Room – 7:00 am**_

Spike plopped into the chair next to Sam with a huge grin on his face "So buddy ya ready for the game this coming Saturday. I got us sweet tickets. Reds against Montreal."

Sam grinned back "Looking forward to it."

Jules walked in catching the tail end of the conversation and asked "Looking forward to what?"

Scooting forward to the table Spike said "Sam and I are taking in the TFC Reds against Montreal."

She smiled "Boys day out I take it. Beers, hot dogs and soccer. Sounds like fun." Jules watched as Sam and Spike both nodded then started making plans for game day.

Jules sat down and leaned back and let her mind wander a bit watching the two guys. Nothing had changed in all these years. Those two were more than just friends, they were brothers. They were always there for one another.

After she had broken up with Sam when she had returned to the team, Spike had been there for Sam. Actually Spike had been there for both of them even though he had no clue they had been dating and were the source of each other's sadness. All Spike saw was his friends were in need and he did everything in his power to help them.

She almost laughed out loud when she remembered the day after Spike and Lou took Sam to a Mexican bar and they all got hammered. Christ Ed was so mad at them for coming in hung over. But Spike had seen that Sam was sad and tried to help.

It was during that time both Spike and she realized Sam had no one he hung out with except the team. They had been clueless before then. His few real friends were still in JTF2 and always away. There was Jim, but their schedules and days off never quite matched.

That's when Spike started inviting Sam to hang out after hours with him and Lou. It was then their friendship started turning into true brotherhood. In retrospect she was damned glad of it.

If not for the close connection between Sam and Spike they may have lost Spike after Lou's death. Sam had been there for Spike after Lou died. He went out of his way to take care of Spike. Even so far as to incur the wrath of Ed for participating in and devising many pranks. And the way Sam got Spike over his hurdle dealing with bombs; that was ingenious. Spike now had a good friendship with Angus and often consulted for him.

Jules smiled at the two guys; the love of her life and her brother. She couldn't imagine life without either of them. As the Boss entered she was pulled from her thoughts.

Greg entered the briefing room and noted all were present "Morning children. Let's get started. First up, we have a training drill with Team Two in one week. Same one that Team Three and Four just completed last night. Ed will go over our training plans in a moment."

Clicking the remote for the display screen he brought up several photos. "Guns and Gangs wanted us to be aware there is increased activity between the Black Dragons and the Crimson Eagles."

Wordy interjected "I thought the Crimson Eagles were all but shut down four years ago after Sam took out Pedro Basto."

Greg grimaced "True but G&G has informed us that they have slowly regrouped over the years under the leadership of Basto's younger brother Paco. The man on the right is Paco Basto the man on this left is the leader of the rival gang Yin Wing. Paco's gang have been actively encroaching into the Black Dragons area of operations. As I said this is just an awareness bulletin, nothing active for us."

After taking a sip of coffee Greg continued bringing up a map of the GTA with an area circled "Vice alerts us to an undercover operation taking place in the Stockyards District. We are to steer clear of that area when patrolling until further notice."

Clicking off the display Greg said "Lastly a bulletin from the RCMP indicates that they have serial killer that is targeting young women. We are being notified because the killer has been leaving a trail of bodies across the country. There have been two in BC, two in Alberta, one in Saskatchewan, three in Manitoba. They believe he has now struck in Ontario because the scene fits the MO." Greg continued to give them details on the MO of the serial killer.

When he finished the rest of the announcements and details Greg smiled and said "No warrants today. So unless we get a hot call, we'll call it a training day. Ed you want to go over your training plans to prepare for next week's drill?"

Ed reviewed his plans for training with the team. When he was done the team went to gear up. On the way out Spike said "We really need to plan a training scenario around bombs. We never get those; always hard tactical entries."

Wordy laughed "Don't worry Spike you'll get a chance to shine. Remember you're our geek with awesome combat skills."

Jules chimed in "I think he just wants an opportunity to blow stuff up. We haven't had a bomb call in ages."

"Getting rusty there buddy?" Sam teased patting Spike's back. Then more seriously Sam said "You know you might just want to plan a visit to Angus soon. Blaze tells me he's cooking up some new bomb tech device."

That was the wrong thing to say and Greg, Wordy, Ed and Jules all glared at Sam as Spike launched into a very animated, detailed and boring explanation of the latest bomb tech. After gearing up with paintball guns the team headed to the training house to practice entry and clearing skills.

An hour later, the team was relaxed and in good spirits after an hour long, fun and productive training session. The team always enjoyed these training sessions. Each liking the opportunity to hone their skills without a real threat to anyone.

On their way back to the barn to clean up Ed said "So Greg, I hear Clark and Dean have plans this weekend."

Smiling Greg said "Yeah. Dean wants to go to that indoor go kart race track that just opened."

"Sounds like fun. We should join them. Make it a father/son day out" Ed replied. They started to make plans.

Jules looked to Wordy "Anything special planned with your girls or Shel for this weekend Wordy?"

"Nah, just kicking back really. I might take Shel to dinner and a movie on Saturday night. How about you?" Wordy answered.

Jules grinned. She would be Sam-less all Saturday so she could start her next home improvement project. It was funny how those plans always took a backseat to spending time with Sam. He refused to paint with her, fearing a repeat of coming into work with the same paint on their bodies. "Nothing much. Was thinking I might paint the basement. Been putting it off for a while."

Wordy laughed "Sounds like work to me instead of fun."

Jules lightly punched him "Painting is very relaxing. Gives a girl time to slow down and just think."

"If you say so. If you want more fun I have a few rooms that could use a new coat of paint. You could come relax at my house" Wordy countered grinning.

Sam looked to Ed "So what's next on our training plan for today?"

Ed was about to answer when the claxon alarm rang. Winnie called out over the loudspeaker "Team One. Hot Call. Armed abduction of two children from Westin-Sakes Elementary School."

Team One raced to the barn to gear up.


	3. They're Gone & Boat Ride from Hell

**They're Gone & Boat Ride from Hell **

* * *

_**Present - Fisheries on Port Lands**_

Fighting nausea Sam had tried to overpower their captors. The bomb was about to go off and they needed to get out. He got one down and almost had the second when a loud bang and a blood curdling scream reverberated in his aching head. The man beneath him was withering in pain.

A hard kick to his stomach had Sam on his back gasping for a breath lying next to the bleeding man. He was stripped of the remaining of his tact gear as he watched Spike begin to remove his gear. Sam struggled to rise they needed to leave now. He vaguely realized a fist slammed into his head in the same location as the other hit as the world around him faded black.

What the hell was going on Spike thought as he watched the man shoot one of his own men in the leg? He started to remove his gear. Spike was slammed with a ham sized fist that dropped him to his knees a grunt of pain escaping. Then one of the men started ripping his gear off of him rather quickly.

As he was still blinking the stars away two more shots rang out. He found himself being dragged backwards as a strong hand gripped the collar of his uniform shirt. Then he was falling. The sudden impact of his head on the wooden floor dazed him further.

Then Sam landed next to him. His eyes focused and he saw Sam's eyes were closed and blood was dripping from his head wound. "Sam?" he said worriedly. He got no response. "Sam?" Still no response. Spike started to reach out to him to check his pulse when Sam was dragged away from him.

Spike was lifted by a hulking man and thrown into the bottom of a boat. He landed on his back hard but was able to stop his head from hitting the floor. He had barely registered he was on a boat when "Hmmmph" followed by a groan of pain was expelled from him as an unconscious Sam was tossed on top of him.

The engine of the boat roared to life. He bounced on the floor as the boat sped away from the fishery building. Spike rolled to his side trying to brace himself better. He also held Sam tightly trying to protect Sam's head from bouncing on the floor.

* * *

 _ **Outside Warehouse A32**_

Wordy and Greg had finished clearing warehouse A32. They headed out of the building. Both elated and subdued. They were happy there were no booby traps or explosives; a huge relief. But sadly no kids either. Time was short and they needed to find them.

Ed called out "Boss, A32 is clear. Alpha team moving to warehouse A45." He received no response. Ed called out again "Boss?"

As they jogged in the direction of warehouse A45 Wordy said "Ed, remember he switched to channel two a bit ago."

Smiling Ed said "I hope that is good news. Maybe Sam and Spike found the kids."

Wordy smiled back "That would be great news. I'm tired of playing hide and seek."

"Let's find out" Ed said switching to channel two. Wordy switched at the same time. Neither of them expected to hear the heart-ripping, agonizing scream of 'Nooooooooooooooo' from Jules. Their steps faltered. What the hell happened?

* * *

 _ **Steeping's Office**_

After the sound of the bomb exploding Greg called out for status for several minutes never getting a response. Jules and Greg stood in shock staring at each other. Both sets of eyes teared up. But they were both unwilling to give up hope.

They had heard Spike and Sam ordered to remove their gear. Maybe they just couldn't answer. They got out. They had to have gotten out. Team Two would get there in a minute or two. Sam and Spike would have help.

His hands unsteady Greg pulled out his cell phone and called Winnie "Winnie have Sergeant Bradley contact me on channel two."

Hearing the unnatural sound in Greg's voice Winnie replied "Sure Sarge. Everything alright?"

He didn't answer her question. Instead he said in a stilted monotone "Notify the Fire Department and EMS of an explosion at the fisheries on Port Lands." Greg hung up his eyes never wavering from Jules. Both needed the strength from each other as they waited.

Winnie hung up and did as the Sarge asked immediately starting with Sergeant Bradley first. She wanted to switch to channel two also but she got a call from Team Six needing help with information on their subjects. However, she could not shake the feeling that something terrible had just happened.

Over the headset Bradley said "Parker just pulling up. Damn that was a huge explosion. What help do you need from us?" Team Two disembarked from their SUVs staring at the inferno burning in front of them.

Greg had to keep focus and keep moving as he replied his voice choking a bit "My guys; did my guys get out? Spike and Sam."

A devastated whisper emitted from Bradley "Your guys were in there?"

Greg and Jules heard the distress in Bradley's voice and sirens approaching. Then Bradley gave orders to his team to search the exterior area for Sam and Spike. Then the distinct sound of two more huge explosions. Followed by cussing, orders to take cover, doors slamming and the sounds of small and large chunks of who knows what hitting metal.

After a few moments they heard Bradley call out for status of his team. Finding his entire team okay he urged them to continue the exterior search.

Bradley came back on over the headset "Greg. The other two buildings blew. It's a damned inferno here. My guys are checking the exterior. God I hope they got out. There is no way they could survive the fire." Bradley stopped himself from saying more. What the hell was he thinking? Team One had likely just lost two great guys.

Several minutes later the last of his men reported in indicating they found no one. Bradley yelled at them to keep looking. His TL put a hand on his shoulder and told him they had combed the entire exterior twice. Sam and Spike were not outside the building. Pushing the bile down that threatened to violently expel Bradley said "Greg, I'm very sorry. We did not find either Spike or Sam outside the building."

Jules's heart was ripped from her chest as she screamed "Nooooooooooooooo".

She collapsed into the chair behind her. She couldn't form a coherent thought. She never heard Ed and Wordy yelling asking what was going on. She did not register Greg in front of her checking her pulse and responding to Ed and Wordy.

Jules did not hear their pain filled cussing and demands for information from Bradley's team. Nor did she hear Bradley's orders to the firemen to search for Sam and Spike in the first building. She did not hear Winnie's cracking voice or soft sobs as she notified Greg of EMS ETA to Steeping's office.

It wasn't until the paramedic was in front of her taking her blood pressure that she began to come back to the world. She blinked several times not having any clue how much time had passed. She heard the Boss telling Ed and Wordy they had to keep looking for the kids. They still had a job to do. The kids were their first priority.

She looked up and saw the pain and grief etched into his face as he gave the orders. She saw the tears hastily wiped away several times. She heard the anger and sorrow in Ed and Wordy's voices as they complied and requested that Team Two assist them at the warehouses.

Greg came toward her his voice shaky and directed at the paramedic "Is she okay?" The paramedic told him she was a little shocky but her vitals were strong and returning to normal.

Jules found her voice; it was anguish filled "They're gone?" Greg took her hand into both of his and squeezed. Then he nodded as tears dripped down his face because his hands were occupied holding hers. Jules repeated "They're really gone?"

Greg tried once, twice, three times to speak but the words lodged in his throat each time. As he watched the tears stream from Jules eyes he finally managed "Yes. The fire department found two bod …" He had to stop he was about to lose it.

He couldn't afford to lose it. Two little kids were still counting on him. He took a deep breath and said "Yes. Sam and Spike are gone."

A small sob escaped Jules. Then a self-preserving steel rod formed in her backbone. A protective cocoon formed around all her hurt and loss, sealing it in tightly.

Jules wiped away her tears. Her voice soft but firm "We need to find the kids. Then we find the ones responsible. Sam and Spike would want us to find the kids. It would be dishonorable to them not to save those kids."

She stood up and walked to the table and began sifting through the materials. Later she told herself. Later she would cry and grieve the loss of her brother Spike. Later she would figure out why her heart was still beating when she was already dead. For that's what she was. She was dead without Sam. Life had no meaning without him.

* * *

 _ **Boat Speeding Away from Port Lands**_

The boat cleared the dock located under the fishery and headed out for the Eastern Channel. Zhang was at the helm and he breathed a sigh of relief. The bomb would go off any moment now they needed some distance. He opened the throttle all the way and they sped toward the channel. Kwon and Pedro were dead. He couldn't believe the master had shot them. But looking at the boat it was clear there would not have been enough room for all of them. That had been the master's plan all along.

Several moments later the bomb exploded. Sounds of the blast, as it ripped the building to shreds, was deafening. Spike even felt the heat of it. Debris from the building splashed around the boat and pieces pelted them too. He felt a fiery pain in his left arm just where it covered Sam's head. He saw the small, thin metal shard sticking out of his arm.

Christ if his arm had not been there it would have sliced into Sam's eye. He contemplated what to about the shard. He didn't know how deep it went. Probably better to leave it alone at the moment. It stung but did not appear to be bleeding much but if he pulled it out it could bleed a lot and he had nothing to staunch it with. So he left it alone.

This was too surreal and Spike couldn't believe what had just occurred. He took in his surroundings. Only three of the five men were in the boat. The one he deemed the leader and two very large henchmen. Why would the leader kill two of his own men and kidnap him and Sam? It made no sense to him.

The leader made eye contact with him. Then he growled "Stay quiet and still on the floor and I won't bind your hands or gag you. Try anything and I put a bullet through your buddy's head." The man reached down and yanked out the metal shard. God damned that hurt. He hissed at the pain.

At an unheard word from the leader Spike watched as a henchman went into the cabin of the boat and reappeared with a bottle of vodka, a length of cloth and a pad. The henchman ripped his sleeve wide open. Then he poured vodka on his wound. Spike was gasping for breath as the alcohol flowed into the open wound. He hissed and clamped his jaw shut until the worst of the stinging pain ebbed.

The henchman repeated it twice more seeming to get pleasure at watching his pain filled reactions. Then he applied the pad and pressure to the bleeding wound for several minutes. The henchman wrapped the length of cloth tightly around it effectively staunching the flow of blood. Then he tied it off, took a swig of the vodka before recapping it and went back into the cabin.

The leader came forward again and said "Do exactly as I say and your buddy stays alive. Cross me and you both die painfully. You saw what I'm capable of. Just because I let your wound be dressed, do not assume I give a damn what happens to you."

Spike simply nodded. What the hell was going on? The man's last word was followed by two more huge explosions one right after the other. He saw the man smile "That's gonna keep them busy a long time." The man stood watching as the buildings burned.

A painful groan came from Sam. Spike was still cradling Sam's head on his arm. Very quietly he said "Sam, you okay?" The only response he got was a soft moan. He wanted to take a closer look at Sam's head wound but couldn't from this angle.

He looked up at the leader assessing his options. Clearly he wanted them alive, at least for a while. Otherwise he would have shot them or left them in the building before it blew up. He would not have dressed his wound either. He chanced saying quietly "I need to check his head wound. Can I get on my knees to do that?"

The leader bent down in his face and growled "No."

Given their circumstance and what had transpired Spike tried negotiating wanting to personalize Sam to their captors "It could be serious. Sam might die. You wouldn't have gone to all the trouble of putting Sam in the boat if you didn't care if he died. Let me look after him. Please."

Sneering at him the leader said "It's just a blow to the head. He can handle it. He's had worse. Now shut up and be still or I will put a bullet through his head and end his miserable life."

Then the leader swiftly kicked his back. Pain radiated both up and down Spike's back and he gulped for air for a few moments. As he regained his normal breathing and the pain subsided the boat caught a wave and slammed down hard on the other side of it. He lost hold of Sam and Sam's head whacked the floorboards.

Sam rolled over and Spike could now see the wound now. From his position on the floor he slowly probed around where it was bleeding being cautious of the bouncing of the boat. He must have hit a very painful area as Sam groaned and clenched it jaw. As best he could, without moving from his spot Spike gathered Sam close. He maneuvered his arm under Sam's head again as a cushion.

Spike was glad the bleeding was slowing only a small trickle now that mostly restarted from his gentle probing. He could see the bruising start to show. Sam was gonna have one hell of a headache, most likely a concussion. But luckily he didn't feel any squishy areas that would indicate a fractured skull. Although Sam had a hard head, a fracture was still a possibility. He needed x-rays to rule that out.

Now that he had done all he could for Sam at the moment he started replaying the events in his mind trying to figure out just what happened and why. He had watched unable to do anything as the leader had put a single bullet hole between the eyes of two of his men. He was a good shot. None of this made any sense.

Did he and Sam stumble into some nefarious deal? That didn't seem quite right. When he asked to help Sam the leader's choice of words indicated he knew Sam. However, that could just be a poor choice of words. Was this personal? If so was it directed at Sam or him? Was this related to the kidnapping of the kids?

His heart seized; the kids. Images of their sweet faces entered his mind as he prayed they were not in any of those buildings. Even though he could not see from his position on the floor of the boat, he realized the two other blasts had to be the other two buildings blowing to bits. There is no way that the kids could have survived those blasts, especially not with the heat and intensity of them.

Then pain of a different kind but more penetrating invaded his heart. The team; Jules, Greg, Ed, and Wordy would think they had died in that blast. Given the age and state of those mostly wooden buildings the fire from the bombs would be an inferno. The two bodies in there would be burned beyond recognition. The team would assume they were him and Sam. He closed his eyes at the thought of the pain and sorrow that would cause their friends and families.

Sam struggled to open his eyes. His head hurt; stabbing pains came in waves along with wonderful nausea. It was all he could do to keep from retching. Something both hard and soft was under his head. It helped absorb the bumps and jarring slams as he bounced. He had no clue where he was and he needed to see. He needed to open his eyes.

It took great effort, they were so heavy. Sam barely opened them a slit and the light increased his pain and nausea. He couldn't stop the groan. He felt a vice like grip around his body tighten keeping him from moving. It scared him until he heard Spike softly say "Hang in there. Hold still. I got you buddy."

Through a clenched jaw and barely above a whisper Sam said "Spike?"

Urgency in his voice as the leader glared then pointed the gun at Sam's head Spike responded quietly "Yeah, it's me. You need to be quiet and still now. Understand?"

Sam heard the tone and understood that they were not in the clear. Instead of speaking he nodded. Bad idea. Bile rose. Cognizant that he was facing Spike he wrenched away from Spike and rolled over just in time. He spilled his guts out until nothing was left. His head was swimming in pain and his throat burned with the taste of bile. As the retching started to subside he felt a comforting hand patting his back.

Spike had been startled for a split second at Sam's move but the sounds of him getting sick registered. Thank god for small flavors, wearing vomit would have been the icing on this appalling cake. He reached out and patted Sam's back the only thing he could do. He glanced at their captors to judge if Sam was in jeopardy of more abuse or a bullet. Thankfully all he saw was disgust on their faces and none moved to do him harm. The gun was even lowered now.

Spitting a few times trying to get the foul taste from his mouth Sam ventured to open his eyes a bit wider. The motions now made sense. He was on a boat. It was moving fast in choppy water. Nausea hit him again. Nothing was left to come up but that didn't stop the dry heaves. He heaved so hard and long that every heave hurt so much he wanted to pass out.

When it finally stopped he rolled to his back keeping his eyes clamped shut trying to quell the pain. He felt his head lifted and then lowered on the firm but soft cushion again. It felt better; the pain was less every time the boat slammed over a wave. He realized it was Spike's arm. His throat raw and burning from throwing up Sam croaked out "Thanks. Helps. You injured?"

Very quietly Spike answered "Just a small cut, few bumps and bruises. Nothing to worry about. You doing okay?"

Picking up on the need to be quiet and the fact that sound hurt his head Sam responded barely above a whisper "Been better."

The boat slammed over three waves in quick succession. Sam groaned and rolled away quickly. His abdominal muscles protested loudly aching as the dry heaves assaulted him unrelentingly again. He was shaking uncontrollably when it finally ceased. God just let me pass out he thought.

Spike repositioned Sam's head on his arm again and put his other arm around him trying to hold him still and cushion him as much as he could. He wished there was something more he could do for Sam right now. He was in miserable shape. He saw the pain etched deeply in Sam's face. He definitely had a concussion, he just didn't know how severe.

This boat ride from hell had to be unbearably painful for him. Spike wanted to say something to comfort Sam but he refused to add more sound. Sound only increased pain with concussions. So he silently communicated the words 'Hang on brother. I'm here for you. I won't let you down.' by ensuing his grip was tight enough to limit Sam's movements.

Panic infused him when Sam went limp in is arms. He quickly checked his pulse. Strong and steady; relief surged forward. Oh thank goodness he finally passed out. Spike maintained his grip around Sam holding him steady.

As he lay there bouncing on the floor of the boat with Sam in his arms, Spike started to rack his brain. He really needed to figure out what was going on. How to get them out of this? It would be up to Sam and him to get free because the team would not be looking for them. They did not know they were held captive. The team would think he and Sam were already dead.


	4. Anagram Killer, Boathouse & White Van

**Anagram Killer, Boathouse & White Van**

* * *

 _ **Interpol Office - Manchester UK**_

Nowhere. He was getting absolutely bloody nowhere. Connor MacGille threw the photos on the table and rubbed his face in frustration. He reached for his lukewarm Earl Grey tea and hesitated.

Giving in to temptation he swiveled his chair and opened his bottom draw and reached into the back. He pulled out a half empty bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream whiskey. Uncapping it he added a shot to his tea and stirred it. Connor recapped the bottle and put it back.

He took a long drink and sighed thinking it was not often but when things became unbearable he gave into the temptation. Bloody hell he couldn't remember the last time he had opened that bottle. No wait it was three years ago for the Farley case. That one was bad. But this one was definitely unbearable.

It was all so senseless, not that serial killers made any sense to begin with. But the targets were good men. Every single one of them was a good man. None of them deserved to die that way. He was buggered. All of this for the past eighteen months was making him an insomniac. He had not had a decent night's sleep in that long. And now it was driving him to drink.

He felt he was doing a piss-poor job. He took a sip of his spiked tea as he looked down at the crime scene photos of the latest case. He would be adding it to the pile of fourteen others. Connor pulled his eyes away from the sickening photos. Taking another sip he wished he could just solve this dammed case.

Connor glanced at the constables official photos from the latest case from Brazil. Young, rugged men with what should have been a long life ahead of them. It was easier to see them like that then the photos of them after they were found. He wanted justice for these men.

Fourteen, no now make that fifteen cases across fifteen countries all with a similar MO. This latest case from Brazil only came to his attention a week ago even though it had actually occurred six months ago. He really needed to get his small staff to find a better way to flag a potential case before the officers met a horrible death.

Downing a large gulp of tea, anger rose, almost to the point of him throwing his cup across the room. He needed to catch whoever was doing this. He had been the one to connect the cases eighteen months ago when an Inspector in Glasgow contacted him regarding the deaths of Constables Blass and Shaffer. Until that point all had thought they were single, one-off incidents.

He might not have even connected them if not for the lucky break he had worked a similar cold case the prior year for the Paris police where two officers were tortured and murdered. As he had reviewed the Glasgow case he found too many similarities between the two to be coincidence.

Acting on a hunch he began digging and found nine more cases over the past eight years that fit the same MO. All involving the abduction, torture and murder of pairs of officers. Those nine, the Glasgow and Paris case files were now included in his fifteen files. Since he made the connection there had been four more cases that landed on his desk.

Connor gathered all the pages scattered on his desk. He shoved them into the Brazil file. Then he put the Brazil file in with the other fourteen files in a portfolio titled 'Anagram Killer'. Whoever was behind this was a bloody sick bastard.

The officers were always taken in pairs. From interviews with mates, coworkers, friends and families the pairs were always good friends and great partners. There was always some elaborate scheme with clues and such that the officers were involved in when they were taken. It was never a straight forward abduction.

He downed the last of his tea. Sleep, he really needed some sleep. He stood and headed out of his office switching off the lights as he went. He waved bye to the small night staff as he pushed the elevator button.

As the elevator closed and began its descent he thought nine pm was early for him to knock off. But even though these cases haunted him he really did need to sleep sometimes.

He just wished he could catch a break and find the bastard or bastards responsible for these thirty senseless deaths; preferably before he or they struck again.

* * *

 _ **Boathouse on Ashbridges Bay - Toronto**_

Spike's arms ached from holding Sam still during the boat ride from hell. He was glad it was over but wary of where they were going next. One of the burly men, the one that drove the boat had hoisted a still unconscious Sam over his shoulder roughly and climbed onto the dock.

A gun was pointed at him and the leader snarled "Out. Say one word or try to run and I will kill your buddy. He is in no condition to run at the moment and an easy target."

He nodded and then scrambled out of the boat. His legs also ached from being bounced around on the floor of the boat for so long. He stood on the dock and recognized where they were.

Many years ago he had been here once with Lou for some charity function Lou had volunteered them for. He was at Ashbridges Bay near the Lions Club. With a nudge to his back from the gun, Spike followed the man carrying Sam into a boathouse.

He was forced to kneel on the ground. The other man unceremoniously dumped Sam to the ground. Spike lunged forward to catch Sam's head before it slammed into the ground. He really didn't need any more hits to the head. Four was more than enough today.

Spike ended up laying prone on his stomach his arms stretched as far as possible. He made it just in time and the back of Sam's head landed in his hands. He carefully lowered it to the ground.

He got to his knees intending to check Sam, who was now flat on his back on the ground, for any other injuries. Out of nowhere Spike received a strong punch to his face. He tasted blood and his newly split lip stung. He spit the blood out. Then wiped his bloodied lip with his hand.

The leader yelled at him "Did I say you could do that?"

Anger rose in Spike "What the hell do you want with us?" He watched as a strange look overtook the leader's face. It turned his stomach.

The leader did not answer his question but snarled out "If you value his life at all you will stay right here. And if you yell out for help I will kill you both right now." Then he stormed over to the henchmen who were several yards away waiting for him.

Grabbing the edge of a crate with his bloodied hand Spike slowly inched towards Sam to check on him. As he moved Spike cautiously watched their captors. He overheard bits and pieces of what the leader was saying to the henchmen. He told the one that dressed his wound to go deliver the ransom demand then to meet them at the rendezvous point.

The two henchmen headed off. The leader sat down on a crate where he had been talking to the henchmen. At first the leader scanned the area but then his gaze landed on him. Spike found the look to be be strange and unnerving.

He dropped his eyes to Sam. His mind whirling around. He had spent the entire boat ride trying to make sense of why they were taken hostage but couldn't. Ransom?

The henchman was instructed to deliver a ransom demand. For them? Nah, couldn't be. He knew his family had nowhere near enough income to even make him a good target. Especially with him being the only financial support for his family now that his father was sick.

Wait maybe it was for Sam. Sam's family was wealthy, very wealthy. Late one night years ago, when Sam was three sheets to the wind after he and Lou took him to the Mexican bar to cheer him up, Sam had shared a family secret with them. His mother Yvonne and her twin sister Ann were heiresses to a vast fortune and the Braddock clan came from old money and was very wealthy.

The secret came out as the guys had drunkenly discussed going to Mexico to reenact the Three Amigos movie. Lou said he couldn't afford to take a trip. Sam had slurred out he could pay for them all. When Lou scoffed at him Sam told them he had a trust fund he could access without his parents' permission now that he was twenty-eight.

Lou and he had drunkenly probed Sam for details. When they asked him how big the trust fund was Sam had snorted and slurred out "Big enough that I could live the resort lifestyle and never need to work a day in my life if I don't want to."

Sam had promptly passed out after that and they dragged him into a cab and off to Lou's place for the night. Well really just a few hours. They all showed up to work hung over and Ed was pissed at all of them. Ed made their life hell that day. They really deserved it though; it was stupid to get so hammered on a work night.

A week later when they were sober he had asked Sam about it wondering if it was true or not. Sam had become embarrassed he had said anything about it. But he confirmed that yes he did have a very large trust fund. But that he refused to touch it. He needed to make his own way in the world.

Then he asked Spike and Lou not to tell anyone on the team. He was worried they would treat him differently. Neither had said a single word about it to another soul. It was a confidence among brothers.

So if it was a ransom for them, it had to be for Sam. But if they were going to ransom Sam why keep threatening to kill him? Then he wondered, how did they know he and Sam would be at the fishery? Hell they didn't even know they would be there until twenty minutes before they arrived.

His mind was jumping all over the place when he recalled the kids. They had not gotten a ransom demand, only a clue. A clue that started them on a path that took them all over the city from location to location.

Were they connected or just dumb luck? No, not dumb luck. This felt well-planned, not a crime of opportunity. But geez, how was this all connected. This was a confusing puzzle.

Just like the whole damned day. He glanced at Sam and checked his pulse again. Still strong and steady. Thank goodness. But the fact he was still out concerned him. He gently tapped his face a few times trying to get a response. He heard the leader laugh at his efforts.

He stopped before incurring more retaliation because it might be directed towards Sam this time. As he sat back, his mind sought answers and he thought about the Watson family. It was doubtful the ransom demand was for the kids. The Watson family was just your normal, typical middle income family. Like himself, it made no sense for kidnappers to target them for some significant ransom.

After interviewing witnesses at the elementary school and getting no leads the team had headed to the Watson home. They setup tracing protocols on all the phones expecting a ransom demand. While they waited for it, he and Jules had done extensive background checks on the parents while Greg interviewed them. Sam, Ed and Wordy interviewed the neighbors. There were no skeletons in their closets. Just an average family with two sweet kids.

Then about an hour and a half since they received the initial hot call a message was delivered by courier. Instead of a ransom demand it had been the first clue. Whoever they were dealing with love games. The clue had come in the form of an anagram. At first they had all stared at the message that read 'satanical jaded duo slow' having no idea what it meant.

He had been creeped out by the word satanical thinking the worst. His first obscure thought was that a cult had taken the kids for some sick reason. But out of sheer luck he had decided to run the message through an anagram program. When the program spit out 71,430 possibilities he had slumped a bit. He thought it would magically appear with what they needed.

Jules thought he was on to something. She suggested he run it again but set the parameters so that the results had to include the names of the kids. They were shocked when one of the results came back with 'Lucas and Jodie at Waldos'.

The team had rushed to Waldos, a closed down, kiddie amusement park that was located in an old grocery store. It was there they found the next clue. It was another anagram and when decoded it sent them clear across town to the third location. That location only held more clues and fake explosives.

Sam stirred under his hand on his shoulder. He leaned close to his ear as he kept watch on their captor who was now pacing back and forth not really looking in their direction.

Spike whispered "Lay still. I know where we are at the moment but I don't think this is where we are ending up. Think you have one hell of a concussion with four solid blows to your head. How's the pain and nausea?"

Understanding he was on land with no rocking or swaying Sam weakly whispered "Manageable, now that we are off that damned boat."

"Light sensitivity?" Spike inquired concern flooding his voice at Sam's faint voice.

Sam cracked his eyes open a slit. He breathed through the pain it brought. Sam didn't want to worry Spike more than he already was. He could hear the concern in Spike's voice. So he forced himself to open his eyes half way, look at him and grin.

Stronger but still whispering Sam said "Not bad. Where are we?"

Spike answered "Ashbridge Bay; inside a boathouse just off the dock. Don't think this is where we are staying though. The leader just gave one of them orders to deliver the ransom demand."

"Ransom for who? The kids?" Sam asked trying to get his bearings and to stop the world from spinning as he continued to keep focus on Spike.

Shaking his head Spike responded "Didn't hear that part."

He didn't tell Sam his suspicions at the moment. Not wanting him to feel responsible in any way. Which he knew he would if he thought they took them to ransom him. And since it was only conjecture on his part there was no way he would put that thought out there for Sam to worry on.

Sam had to close his eyes. Spike's shaking of his head had created multiple copies of him and it was making his nausea increase. He said "Why'd they take us. Could of left us in the building."

"No idea. Been trying to figure that out. Shhh he's coming" Spike said quickly. He saw a van pull up and the leader striding over to them. So that is where the other man went. Too get transportation. He watched as the driver of the boat opened the rear doors of the van.

The leader snarled at Spike "You carry your buddy. If he is too heavy and you cannot I will simply tie a heavy rock to his ankle and toss him in the bay."

Sam knew that in a pinch Spike could carry him. But he had seen the bloody gauze around Spike's arm and the huge bruise on the side of his face and the bloody split lip. Spike was in no shape to be carrying him far. He opened his eyes and looked to their captor "I can walk."

"Playing opossum were we?" the leader sneered at Sam.

Calmly Sam answered "No, just trying not to see double of everything." Sam rolled over and got to his knees. The leader laughed. It was a sick disturbing laugh and that coupled with the shifty, cold-blooded look he had just seen in the captor's eyes set Sam's teeth on edge.

With the help of Spike he managed to get to his feet and not throw up in the process. He swayed a moment as he stood erect. Sam started to take a wobbly step towards the van and faltered a bit. Spike was at his side instantly.

"Let me help" Spike said as he slung Sam's arm around his shoulder and held his waist tightly. Sam was grateful for the help wondering if he could have actually made it to the van on his own.

They slowly headed to a white panel van at the far end of the boathouse. Under his breath Sam said "God damn not another white van, isn't once in a life time enough."

Spike heard Sam's comment. He lightly laughed and whispered "You do seem to have the damnedest luck don't you buddy."

Sam snorted "Yeah, well at least this time the team knows we are gone. They'll be looking for us already."

"About that" Spike said dejectedly. The tone of his voice had Sam stumbling a bit as he turned to look at Spike's face. Spike's emotions were clearly written on his face. He didn't think the team was going to be looking for them.

Nearly afraid to ask but forcing himself "What?"

The leader was listening to their conversation not trying to stop it. It was part of what he liked. He liked seeing the easy conversation and trust and then watching them as he destroyed it over several weeks. Watching partners turn on each other and throw each other under the bus to save themselves. It was going to be fun ripping apart the friendship of this pair.

Spike did not answer him so Sam said "Spike, why won't they be looking for us?" Sam's mind was racing for an explanation in the face of Spike's continued silence. He could only think of one reason. He said "Ah, the kids. They need to save the kids first. That makes sense."

He looked at Sam with soft eyes of concern. Sam had been out cold when everything transpired in the fishery. He would not have that knowledge to use in his deductions. Softly Spike said "Sam, they won't be looking for us because they will think we are already dead."

Sam stopped walking staring at Spike. The look he gave Spike was one of total confusion. A gun prodded him to keep moving. Spike helped him into the van as his mind reeled. Dead? They would think they were dead? Pain and nausea were coming in waves again and he had to lay down.

Spike saw Sam was fighting the pain again and mostly likely nausea too. He didn't care if Sam threw up on him. He shifted his position then lifted Sam's head in to his lap. He placed a steadying hand on Sam's shoulder and waited for Sam to get things under control. The van started moving.

* * *

 _ **White Van Driving Somewhere in Toronto**_

His head throbbed so badly he didn't resist when Spike put it in his lap. Even with the padding the occasional bumps and potholes the van hit sent shock waves through his head. The swaying motion of the van also made it hard to quell his nausea. But he refused to puke on Spike.

It was difficult but he finally got the waves tamped down to a manageable level. He quietly asked "Why?"

Spike knew what he was asking and explained to him what happened in the fishery. He told him about the two men left there and the three bomb blasts.

The first thing that went through Sam's head was oh god Jules. Jules would think he was dead and that would tear her world to pieces. Then the rest of the team entered his head. The pain this was going to cause them all, that hurt.

It hurt so much because this was his entire fault. He had allowed these men to get the drop on them. He should have been more aware. He started to go down a path of self-recrimination. But he stopped himself.

That would not help them now. Later. He would deal with that later. For now he had to figure a way to get them out of this situation. Find a way to get Spike out of this safely.

Very quickly he got angry; he had heard insanity before and he knew for damned sure their captor was fucking insane. He would not allow Spike to be harmed any more than he was already.

Drawing deeply on his Special Forces training he pushed the pain away. He looked at his watch. Dammit, broken. He saw that Spike still had his watch. He whispered "Time it."

Spike looked at him questioningly. He saw a hardened steel glint in Sam's eyes. Whoa. Sam tapped his watch and Spike saw it was busted. He looked at his own watch and noted the time. He saw a look of determined concentration on Sam's face he had never seen before.

"Help me sit" Sam ground out softly. Spike didn't ask why. He just helped him up and heard Sam take slow and steady breaths. He surmised Sam was trying to gain control over his pain and nausea. He saw Sam's eyes dart to the front of the van.

Sam looked out the window. It wasn't much but he could see a sliver of the scenery as the van drove. He began memorizing the turns and times that Spike would whisper to him when he asked. It was extremely hard to concentrate but he needed to have an idea where they would end up.

It would be important when they escaped. And he was damned sure going to do all in his power to make that happen. He was not going to let another insane bastard hurt the ones he loved and cared about.

They had been driving for nearly forty-five minutes. Spike saw Sam struggle to maintain consciousness the last ten minutes. His eyes kept shutting and his head drooped more often. He was ready when Sam's body gave out and slid back into unconsciousness. Spike lowered Sam's head to his lap again.

Spike had picked up on what Sam was doing. So he took over the best he could noting time and turns. But after another fifty minutes when darkness fell he had lost all sense of direction. He had no clue where they were at.

A small part of him wished that Sam could have stayed conscious because he had an innate sense of direction. But he didn't blame him. He was actually surprised Sam had held on so long in the first place. Sam should be in a hospital right now getting proper treatment not in the back of a van god knows where. He whispered "You and me buddy. We'll find a way to get out of this together."

Leaning his head back he closed his eyes. He sent a silent prayer that they identified the bodies before they notified his parents of anything. He would not want his parents, especially his mother to think him dead. Sighing he wished his father would reconcile with him. He wished he was proud of his choices.

Spike was pulled from his thoughts as the van came to a stop and was turned off. They were here, where ever here was.


	5. Keep It Together & Help From Venetiaj

**Keep It Together & Help From Venetiaj**

* * *

 _ **Warehouses**_

All Ed wanted to do was rage. To go to the fisheries and to demand that Sam and Spike be alive. Oh and to RAGE! But instead Ed held it all in with a vice-like grip. He had to keep it together, he could not lose it now.

He must focus on the job at hand. It had to be done. He knew full well that he and Wordy were compromised emotionally but they had no choice to continue. They had to find those kids. Sam and Spike would want them to finish this call first then grieve.

Ed looked to Wordy and thought he probably looked much the same way. Clenched jaw with both anger and sorrow reflected in his eyes. Much like how they looked when Lou had died. God dammit, Team One had now lost three good men to explosives.

It hurt so deeply. Those men died under his watch. In both cases his rational mind realized there was not a damned thing he could have done to prevent it. But that didn't make him feel any less guilty or responsible. After all, keeping the team safe was his job.

Turning to watch Team Two's SUVs coming down the road towards them, Ed took a moment to sniper breathe. He needed to calm down. Inhale. Hold 2, 3, 4. Exhale.

Old memories popped in his head; memories of guiding Sam to breathe at various times through the years. The first had been on the floor of Central Bank. Then in the hospital after Sam nearly drown at Darby dock. The time after Lou died was the most painful to remember.

Sam had walked away from the team. When he realized Sam was gone he went to look for him. He found his gloves on the ground. It took him nearly fifteen minutes to locate Sam.

When he found him at the back of the building in a full on rage pounding his fists into a wall and roaring out a string of very colorful curse words it had shocked him. No amount of his own yelling could break through to Sam. Sam's hands were a bloody mess and he could not let him continue. He tried pulling him away to no avail.

Hating to do it he decided his only option to get Sam to stop was to punch him. A hard right to Sam's jaw sent him to the ground. The depth of grief, pain and fear that flashed in Sam's eyes when he looked at him hurt almost as much as losing Lou.

He crouched down to talk with him when Sam barely whispered in a fearful, defeated voice 'Landmines are not supposed to be here. This is not Afghanistan. Here is supposed to be safe from them. Nowhere is safe, nowhere. I couldn't save him. Lou died because I couldn't save him. I had to walk away. I never thought I'd have to walk away here.'

It was then that Sam started to hyperventilate. He could not catch his breath. As Sam desperately latched onto his vest struggling to draw in enough air he had to firmly and loudly count out the breathing pattern for Sam. It took nearly ten minutes of guiding him before Sam indicated he had it under control.

The kid looked completely embarrassed and apologized for having lost control while on the job. Sam told him that he should have kept it together better and it would never happen again. He had stared at Sam incredulously. Christ, Sam was apologizing for being human and having overwhelming feelings.

He had trouble understanding lots of things about Sam but not that. That was loud and clear. Sam was a soldier and soldiers cannot afford to show emotions on the battlefield. On a battlefield emotions got people killed. On a battlefield sometimes you just had to walk away knowing you could not save a buddy no matter how bad it hurt to turn away. And he was sure that in Sam's head this became a battlefield the instant Lou stepped on the landmine.

Instead of giving him a lecture and telling him it was okay to feel, which Sam would never accept in his current frame of mind, he had just nodded and said 'roger'. He specifically chose to use the military term to let Sam know he understood where his mind was at.

Then without words he had helped Sam up and found a bathroom. Sam washed the blood from his hands. When Sam promised to get his hands properly attended to later he had given him his gloves.

He told Sam what occurred would remain between them only. Sam had nodded stoically but he detected a slight relief in Sam's expression too. Sam did not like to appear weak in front of anyone. Ed could tell he considered his reaction to Lou's death a weakness.

After that Sam put on the gloves to hide the damage to his hands. They returned to the SUVs and the rest of the team. They never spoke of it again and to this day he didn't think anyone on the team with the possible exception of Wordy ever knew how Sam reacted that day.

Pushing those memories away, Ed turned to Wordy and gave him an assessing gaze. Was he putting Wordy at risk now? Should he bench him to protect him? He already had a close call today. Was he okay to do this?

Catching Wordy's eyes Ed asked "Wordy, I gotta know honestly. Is your head on straight? Team Two is helping now. There is no shame in sitting this out right now. Are you okay to do this?"

Wordy was beyond devastated. It was difficult to speak. In fact he didn't trust his voice at all at this moment. He tensed every muscle in his body trying to keep it together. Bradley's words had cut deep 'you're guys were in there?', 'it's a damned inferno here' and 'no way they could survive the fire'.

He broke eye contact with Ed and watched as the SUVs came to a stop near him and Ed. Wordy inhaled deeply and slowly exhaled. He had to do this. For Sam and Spike he would do this. Jules was right when she said it would be dishonorable to their memories if they didn't save the kids. So even though the pain pierced his heart he would clear his head and focus on the job at hand.

Turning back to Ed he clearly saw his own feelings reflected in his friend's eyes. This was hard for both of them. But neither would let the other down. Together they could do this. Wordy responded quietly but resolutely "I'm fine just like you. But we can do this. I've got your back, you've got mine. For now we focus on finding the kids."

The two share a sad smile at Wordy's use of the word fine. Yes indeed they were both F.I.N.E. with a huge emphasis on the F and E at the moment. They patted each other's shoulders as a sign of solidarity then turned to face Team Two's SUVs together.

Four members of Team Two disembarked their SUVs. Hal, Team Two's Team Leader jogged to Ed. He saw two steel backed officers who he knew felt like him, job first and grieve after.

But even though he had that thought he could not completely excise the emotion that cracked his voice "Bradley stayed at the fishery to supervise there. He will send word once the firefighters have things under control and if they find the kids in one of the other buildings. Curtis headed to Steeping's Office to help Jules and Parker."

Ed nodded. Curtis was Team Two's resident geek. It made sense for him to go there and help Jules and Greg; especially if they found another clue instead of the kids. Curtis would be able to run the anagram analyzer for them.

As for Bradley he was glad to have one of their own near his fallen officers. He would watch over Sam and Spike until he was able to get to them. Ed also hoped the kids were not in the other fishery buildings. If they were it would add another dimension of grief that he wasn't sure he would be able to handle.

The rest of Team Two had geared up and gathered around. Ed saw four more faces set like his and Wordy's. Spike and Sam were liked and well respected; this would hit everyone at SRU hard. He noticed that Mike, Hal and Gary had numerous small cuts on their faces and hands. One of Mike's hands was wrapped in gauze.

Mike noticed Ed looking at his hand "Flying debris from the explosions. We are all okay. What's the plan Ed?"

The fact they all had injuries, albeit minor ones, spoke to the intensity of the blasts. Pulling his eyes away from Mike's hand he looked at all of them and said "Good to hear. Wordy and I have cleared A32 and A45. Wordy and I Alpha team will take warehouse B13. Hal and John Bravo team take warehouse D24. Mike and Gary Charley team take warehouse C18. We have encountered various booby traps and …" Ed had to stop or his voice would crack.

He could not allow that to happen. He steeled himself and allowed his anger to ride forward a bit to push away the softer emotions. "Go careful. I do not want to lose anyone else today. Understood?" Ed received a round of copy that. They all knew what he left unsaid, 'watch for bombs and other explosives'.

Ed continued "Keep an eye out for possible clues as you search. One last thing, it might be a bit confusing but everyone on channel two. If you need help call out." The men all switched to channel two then headed out to their designated warehouses.

Forty minutes later the six men converged back at the SUVs. Sadly no kids or clues were found in any of the warehouses. But luckily no booby traps real or fake were encountered either.

Ed called out with a bit of frustration edging his voice "Boss, no sign of the kids in any of the warehouses. We found no clues either. Got anything else for us to go on?"

* * *

 _ **Steeping's Office**_

Frustration, anger, grief, and a whole host of other emotions were trying to get the best of Greg. He could not afford to lose it now. Not now. His team and those kids needed him to be strong and to keep it together. Firming his resolve and his voice he responded to Ed calmly "Not yet. Curtis is running something on his computer at the moment."

Greg could hear Ed storming back and forth. He heard the distinctive sound of a fist meeting metal. Then he heard Wordy's gentle words to Ed trying to help his friend calm down. It was working from what he could tell from here. At least Ed was no longer punching the side of the warehouse or the SUV or whatever it was he had slammed his fist into.

Taking a moment to glance at Jules, Greg saw she had a blank look on her face. He was worried about her; deeply worried. She had turned inward completely with a sole focus on finding the kids. He went to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She startled a bit. He said "Jules are you doing okay?"

Jules pressed her lips in a thin tight line. She said in a clipped tone "Later. Ask me later. Right now I have to find something that will help us locate the kids." Greg nodded and went back to his pile of papers.

She grabbed a new stack of papers and photos from the desk. There was so damned much but nothing giving her any ideas where to look next. She just wanted to scream and rant and release her bottled up pain. But she could not, she had to keep it together.

There was a knock on the office door. Jules went to answer it. A young scrawny man in a courier's uniform stood at the door. Jules said "Yes?"

The courier said "I have an envelope for a Sergeant Parker."

Alarm bells went off in Greg's head. Who would know he was here? His first thought was whoever set up this damned game. Then he wondered how they would know his name?

Greg quickly came to the door "I'm Sergeant Parker." The courier held out a small envelope. Greg took it and opened it. It was another clue. Waving the envelope in the couriers face he asked "Where did you get this?"

Nervously the young man licked his lips and he eyes darted to the left "I um it came with my normal dispatches."

Jules instantly did not believe him. She bluffed, pulling out her cuffs she said in a harsh tone "You can tell me the truth right here and now or we can arrange to have you arrested as an accessory to kidnapping and the murder of two officers."

Greg flicked his eyes at Jules but kept quiet then stared at the courier. The young man was struggling to so he played along "Jules cuff him."

She moved forward and the courier took a step back and stammered out "No wait … wait … This huge man gave me two hundred dollars and said all I had to do was deliver the envelope. I'm just a courier. It was easy money since it was on my way to my next stop. I don't know anything about kidnapping or murder."

Greg calmly said "Why did you lie then?"

"I uh um. I could get fired. I'm only supposed to deliver items from the central dispatcher. I need this job" he explained.

Jules asked "Where exactly did this man approach you and can you describe him?" The courier started giving them all the details he could remember.

As Greg continued to interview the man Jules took the clue from the Boss and reviewed new clue. She walked to Curtis and sighed. She used to love solving word puzzles but right about now she hated anagrams with a passion. "Curtis, we have several anagrams to solve."

She handed him the note that read: SHAFT RANKING PLOY. ADEQUATENESS REIGNS TOOK NOT. ACHY AMIGO VEILED. Damask Steeping.

Curtis plugged the first sentence into the analyzer. He was never any good at word puzzles. Curtis thought about calling his old college friend to help. Venetiaj was stellar at solving anagrams. He would suggest it if they were not successful in deciphering them quickly.

He groaned out loud as the results were returned. "Jules the first sentence 'shaft ranking ploy' results come back with 93,751 possibilities."

Jules sank. This was not going to be simple or quick. Curtis saw the defeat on her face said "Sorry. I wish I could be more help but even with Spike's analyzer anagrams make no sense to me, might as well be ancient hieroglyphics. Give me a computer system to hack into and I'm your guy, but word games not so much."

She gave him a tight smile. Curtis reminded her so much of Spike. They even somewhat resembled one another. Sealing the small crack that had opened up on her cocoon of grief and pain she said "It's okay Curtis. We will figure it out. Just gonna take us a while. I just wish there was a faster way. We are almost out of time. We have less than ninety minutes now based on the clue earlier today."

"I have a friend that is an absolute whiz at solving anagrams. Should I contact my friend Venetiaj?" Curtis asked.

Nodding Jules agreed. They could use all the help that they could get. She set to work scanning through the 93,751 results looking for any that even remotely made sense in this situation.

Jules listened to Curtis as he called his friend, gave a brief explanation of why they needed help and got agreement to help them. She heard him read out the message they needed deciphered 'shaft ranking ploy. adequateness reigns took not. achy amigo veiled'.

While Jules and Curtis were busy with the anagram Greg had contacted Winnie. Thankfully, Team Three was now on shift. All the details around the man that had handed off the message to the courier were transferred to Rollie's team. They were enroute to the last known location for the man.

Patrol officers had taken the courier so he could work with a sketch artist to create an image of the man. It was the only lead they had to figure out who was behind this bizarre scheme. They wanted to find the kids but they also needed to find the perpetrators. They all needed justice for Sam and Spike.

Greg joined Jules in reviewing the anagrams. For a man who used words for a living he was starting to hate the English language. So damned many words could be constructed with a twenty-six letter alphabet.

As he scanned he could not stop his mind from wandering to his two guys. It was an agony so profound. Spike and Sam were like a sons to him. He had wanted to punch the lights out of Toth when he had gone after Spike regarding Lou's death and his estrangement from his own father.

Spike brought laughter and joy to this team. His pranks were legendary. A slight smile edged the corner of his mouth as he recalled a fuming blue Ed and the horrified look in Spike's eyes at a prank gone wrong. With Spike you could always tell what he was thinking. His emotions were worn on his sleeves for all to see.

Greg knew that Spike cared about the entire team. But he was closest with Sam. Spike brought the kid out in Sam who tended to be to stoic and serious most of the time. Christ, when those two teamed up on a prank you never knew what was going to happen but it would damn sure be hilarious.

Those two were willing to put so much on the line for one another. More than once each had gone to extremes to help the other, putting their own needs on the back burner. Those two were brothers in the truest sense of the word.

Curtis's phone rang. He answered it and quickly typed out a message on this laptop. He thanked the caller and hung up. He quickly tapped on his computer again pulling up a map.

Smiling he turned and said "I think we have it. My friend Venetiaj is an analyst in cybercrimes at the Ottawa NCB. I've got a cipher that I think is accurate. Venetiaj says that 'Shaft ranking ploy. Adequateness reigns took not. Achy amigo veiled.' can be translated to read 'Thank you for playing. Kids at Storage One on Queen St. I achieved my goal."

Pointing to the map on the laptop Curtis continued "There is only one Storage One location on Queen St."

Ed broke in over the headset, the sound of boots hitting the ground quickly "What's the address?" Doors were slammed and engines roared to life.


	6. Queen's Suite, The Break & Weird Name

**Queen's Suite, The Break & Weird Name **

* * *

_**House in the Woods - Outside**_

Spike nudged Sam when the van doors opened. Sam roused enough to walk with his assistance. But he clearly was not really aware and Spike took most of his body weight.

Looking about, trying to take in as much of their surroundings as possible in darkness Spike slowly moved with Sam towards a house surrounded by woods on three sides. The fourth side seemed to be more open. He heard running water so there must be a stream nearby.

He accepted the fact that they could be anywhere. Although they had travelled for nearly two hours that didn't mean that they were actually two hours away from their starting point. That would assume they had driven from point A to B in a direct fashion. Spike thought assuming was never a good idea. For all he knew they could have driven in circles or backtracked at some point.

God he hated the woods. Nothing good ever happened in the woods. His mind flashed to the time the team was chasing a boy through the woods and he was hit with a home-made explosive, ammonium triiodide. Lou burned his hands helping put out the fire on his back. Nope he definitely did not like the woods.

The only thing that was clear to Spike was this was an isolated place. He could see no lights for other houses or buildings. But he also figured they had not gone too far from the city because the glow of the city lights blocked out most of the stars in the sky. So it was fairly isolated but not too far from civilization.

He approached the steps to the house "Sam step up buddy. We have three of them." Sam did his best but stumbled a bit on the last one. Spike tightened his grip keeping Sam from falling.

Inside Spike did a quick scan. There was a staircase leading up just inside in the entryway. A small den was on his right. To the left it opened up into a great room and kitchen area. There was a door under the stairs. The boat driver opened the door and indicated he should go in.

* * *

 _ **House in the Woods - Basement**_

Just as he suspected, steps to a basement. God he hoped he could manage to get Sam safely down the steps "Buddy stairs again. Going down this time. There's a railing you can hang onto."

Sam heard Spike and he grunted a response as he reached out with his hand to locate it without opening his eyes. He knew if he opened his eyes his head would just explode. His hand finally located it and they began a slow cautious descent.

When they reached the bottom Sam murmured "Thanks for not letting me fall."

"Made you that promise a long time ago. Don't plan on breaking it now" Spike responded.

Spike heard the door above close and lock. It was just the two of them now. Luckily there was a single bulb in the light fixture and it was on. He saw an old ratty mattress on the floor in one the corner of the large basement.

Gross but better than the hard cold floor. He maneuvered them to it and helped Sam to sit then to lie down. Taking the opportunity now that they were alone he did a more thorough check out of Sam. Finding nothing apparently broken he asked "You hurt anywhere besides the head?"

"No. Just a bit tired. Sorry I went out. Any idea where we ended up?" Sam asked. Actually his whole body ached but he would not tell Spike that. There was nothing he could do about it anyways. No sense in making Spike more concerned. Besides he could handle it and a whole lot more if necessary.

Spike slowly sat next to Sam and leaned against the wall. Geez his whole body ached but he kept that to himself. Spike told Sam of his observations outside and of the interior of the house. Sam agreed with his assessment, isolated but not too far from the city.

He noticed Sam never once opened his eyes. Headache must be a bitch right now he thought. Concussions were never fun. He had wanted to curl up and die the last time he had one and that was with the strong painkillers they gave him. Spike couldn't imagine what it was like for Sam to deal with one without painkillers.

Sam was pissed at himself for not staying conscious but Spike had given him a lot of details that would be useful for when they got out. The woods would provide them cover, shelter and food. He just had to figure out how to get them out of here first.

He tried to open his eyes to scan the room but everything swam and he could not focus. He quickly closed them and concentrated on controlling the nausea and pain. Then he said "So what's our room look like?"

Spike heard the pain in Sam's voice and decided he needed a bit of a distraction. So using a snobbish, fake English accent he started to describe the basement as if he was giving a tour to a rich customer "Well Sir, as for our current accommodations we seem to have a swanky little suite. Only the best will do for Samtastic. Seems they reserved the Queen's suite for us. We have our comfy well broken in bed here and the lighting. The lighting is something of a wonder; great for setting the mood."

He smiled when he saw Sam grin and lightly chuckle. He kept it up as he continued his examination of the room "Speaking of setting the mood looks like we have ourselves an in room hot tub in the corner."

Sam tensed and asked "Hot tub?"

Spike saw Sam tense, not sure why but he could see it bothered him. So he got up and went to the corner of the room to check out the hot tub. It so was not a hot tub. Keeping his tone light he said "Wow much deeper than I thought. Only about third of it is above ground. It is about six foot wide and nearly seven feet deep I figure. There is a metal ladder that is missing a few rungs that goes down to the bottom. Wonder what something like that is used for; never seen anything like it before."

Sam had and he was none too happy with the description. But for now he would go with keeping it light "Bet you could make a huge batch of wine in that thing." He heard Spike chuckle as he returned to the foul mattress. Sam asked "So anything else in our private Queen's suite?"

Scanning the room he said "Well there are two fine solid wood chairs, a small sink and toilet. No windows." He got up to test the sink and toilet. The sink rumbled but did emit a small stream of water. He pressed the handle on the toilet and it actually flushed. "We got water and hey the toilet works. That's good." He proceeded to check out the darker areas of the large open basement.

He noticed something up in the corner of the room. Whoa. His head whipped around the room finding them all. Making his way back to the bed he sat close to Sam again. Barely a whisper he said "Cameras all around, setup I'm sure to see every inch of this room. There might be audio too but cannot tell."

Sam thought this is so not good.

The door above opened and the leader sauntered down "Yes there is sound too. I can see and hear all that goes on in the Queen's suite."

Sam forced himself to open his eyes. After a few moments he focused and saw the leader followed by one large man who was holding a duffle bag. Not good he thought. Firming his voice he said "What do you want with us?"

Ignoring his question the man pointed his gun at Spike's head but looking directly at Sam "You need to remove your boots and shirts then move yourself to the chair over there and sit down. If you don't move fast enough he gets it."

Working as quickly as his body would allow Sam untied and removed his boots then his uniform shirt. He hated that his hands shook as he unbuttoned his shirt. He pulled his t-shirt off and pushed himself up using the wall for support then stumbled over to the chair. Those little efforts made his head pound harder. He slumped into the chair.

The man continued "Now do not move."

Sam almost laughed out loud. Moving was not on his list of things to do at the moment. Trying to keep his head from exploding and his stomach contents inside were two of his three key concerns. His third and primary concern was to keep the man from shooting Spike by complying with what he was asked. The look in the man's eyes said he would not hesitate to do so.

Sam looked to Spike as he sat. They shared a look each read as comply for now but keep looking for a way out. Needing to focus inward to squash the bile trying to rise Sam closed his eyes as the henchmen moved forward and opened the duffle bag.

Zhang carefully eyed the man in the chair. He had seen what he had done when apparently docile before. Pedro was down and out in a flash of and eye and he had Kwon down before his master had shot Kwon. He pulled out a handful of zip-loc cuffs. He secured his wrists to the arms of the chair first then and ankles to the legs.

Spike watched wishing he could do something. If only one of them had a gun he would go for it. But the boat driver had one tucked in his pants. If he made a move on the leader then either he or Sam would be taken out by the boat driver. It was not the right time to make a move but his stomach churned watching as Sam was bound to the heavy wooden chair.

The leader then spoke to Spike "Your turn. Same thing but into the other chair." Spike complied and he was secured in the same manner.

"Now here's the deal, we're gonna play a little game. But before we start I'm gonna leave you two alone a bit. You will need to decide which one of you is gonna answer questions and which one of you is gonna pay the consequences for wrong answers" the leader smirked.

Spike asked "What kind of questions?"

The leader looked to Spike with the weird unsettling smile "That'd take all the fun outta it if I told you that beforehand." Then he and the henchmen went back up the stairs.

When the door was closed and locked Spike looked to Sam who was in front of him about five feet away "We're so screwed."

Opening his eyes and looking up at Spike Sam responded with a quirk of a smile "Yeah, probably. You answer the questions, I'll take the consequences."

Spike retorted quickly "No way Sam. You are in no shape to take any consequences. I'm sure we both have an idea of what those will be. Not too damned hard to figure that out."

Having used up the little stored energy with his first statement with an effort Sam said "Spike, my head is too muddled to think clearly right now. I can handle the other."

"No!" Spike spoke with fierceness in his voice "I'm not letting them beat the crap out of you if I answer wrong."

Sam said softly forcing himself to talk "And you think I'm gonna let them do that to you? We both know that one of us needs to be thinking clearly to have half a chance to get out of this. I know my limits, I can handle it. 'sides you know more than me about lots of stuff."

Spike was having none of this "Depends on the questions he asks. And I can take it too."

He knew that Spike could take hits but he knew this was gonna be torture. He could read that in the man's eyes. He'd seen that look before. Spike was not trained to handle torture but unfortunately or fortunately he was.

Sam didn't want to hurt Spike's feelings and had formulated a thought to try and ease his feelings and get him to agree to be the one to take the consequences. He started "I know you can buddy but we …." His voice trailed off as he fell unconscious again zapped of all energy.

Seeing Sam's head drop to his chest Spike yelled his name several times trying to get a reaction. He finally settled down. He could see the gentle rise and fall of Sam's chest. He had sounded so tired. His body must have given out and forced him to sleep. Silently he vowed to not let Sam take the consequences.

* * *

 _ **House in the Woods - Upstairs**_

He laughed as he had watched the monitor and listened to them talking. He found it entertaining watching them stick up for one another; both trying to be the macho one. Breaking them would be fun. But it might take a bit longer than the others. He might need to change up strategies.

Pulling out the file Zhang had compiled for him on these two he knew Sam was ex-military and the sniper. All the scars he saw when he took off his shirt lent credence to his claim that he could handle it. He wondered what was used to make so many thin scars.

By contrast Spike was smooth and scar free. He was the computer nerd and bomb expert. What an odd pair to become friends.

As he watched he saw the blonde lost consciousness mid-sentence. How the hell he had stayed awake and actually attacked his men after the hit with the board in the fishery intrigued him. It would be interesting to see how much was needed to break him.

The reaction of the other man was interesting to watch. His feelings were clearly displayed on his face; they had been since in the boat. He openly showed his concern and worry for the other man. None of the others he had broken had ever so openly shown his emotions.

This was definitely a different pair. There was no rush so he decided to wait until morning to play his first game. It would be no fun if one of them was out. He stood up and as he did so his wallet fell from his pants.

When he scooped it up it flipped open. His eye caught the picture of a man and a woman. He snarled at the man in the photo as the burn of the betrayal of his partner Sergei rolled through him again.

He yelled "Zhang, has Saul returned yet? He should have been here by now."

* * *

 _ **Storage One on Queen St.**_

Luckily it was a smaller storage place. It was a three story building and all the storage bays were climate controlled and inside. There were only two entrances; the normal door at the front office and the large bay door at the back. By the time Ed, Wordy and the men from Team Two arrived the patrol units had formed a perimeter thanks to coordination from Greg.

Curtis sent them the blueprints and Ed and Hal determined the search plan. The headed out in teams of two just like at the warehouse. Ed and Wordy took the first floor. They had searched all but five storage bays. The remaining five were smaller bays with only normal doors rather than large roll-up doors.

Approaching the next bay Wordy pulled out the master key they had been given. He silently slid it into the lock and carefully turned it. Ed grabbed the handle of the door and looked to Wordy. He mouthed "Ready?"

Wordy nodded in response. Ed pulled open the door and they both slipped in low and quiet. At first they could not believe their eyes or ears. Time slowed down as they took in the scene that greeted them. It was beyond comprehension after all of today.

The sound of a little boy giggling and little girl laughingly saying "I'm gonna keep tickling you Lucas if you don't stop taking my favorite candies."

Dumbfounded for a moment Ed and Wordy looked around. On one side of storage bay there was a TV, a DVD player, a stack of kids movies and small fridge. There was a kid sized table in the center of the room with two chairs and a whole slew of board games. There was a small shelf filled with snack foods and candies of all types. In one corner was a little port-a-potty. In front of the TV player was a futon.

On the futon were Lucas and Jodie Watson; completely unharmed. Wordy was the first to move toward them "Jodie, Lucas I'm Officer Wordsworth are you okay?"

Jodie Watson looked up from tickling her brother and smiled "Can we go home now? The man said it would be safe to go home when the police came."

Disbelief still in his voice Ed called out "We found Jodie and Lucas alive and well."

* * *

 _ **Home of Connor MacGille - Manchester, UK**_

He had just dozed off hoping for at least one restful night when his phone started ringing. He was tempted to ignore it. He looked at the caller id. His rookie, what the bloody hell did she want now "Kelly, this had better good."

 _[Hearing her boss's voice always made her nervous. She was glad to be assigned to him, he was a good but he was so demanding he intimidated her. Nervously Kelly said "I'm not so sure. Um. It might be nothing but I uh."]_

"Just spit it out Kelly" Connor said with authority. Kelly was good but she really needed to get a backbone and just get to the point sometimes.

 _["Well I was talking to a friend of mine tonight. She told me she helped solve some anagrams today. Apparently they were clues to where some abducted kids were located" Kelly stated.]_

Connor sat up "And? I can tell there is more."

 _["It got me thinking about the Anagram Killer case when she was telling me about the elaborate clues left. Then when she told me two officers were likely killed looking for the kids I got a strange feeling and thought I should tell you" she added.]_

Swinging his feet to the floor Connor asked "What do you mean likely killed, who is your friend exactly and where did this take place?"

 _["My friend is Agent Venetiaj who works in the cybercrimes department of the Interpol National Central Bureau in Ottawa, Canada. She was asked for help on the anagrams by an old friend from college who was working the case for the Toronto Strategic Response Unit. The two officers may or may not have died in an explosion. They have to do DNA or dental records testing the fire burned so hot. They have not released any details to the media until the bodies are identified" Kelly reported.]_

Striding to his closet and pulling out his small suitcase Connor rattled off "Book me the earliest flight for Toronto. Find me the name of the person I should contact with SRU. Then meet me at the airport with the case file."

 _["Got it. On it boss" she replied.]_

Stopping a moment and smiling, he thought finally a bloody break "Kelly one more thing."

 _["Yeah boss."]_

"Damn fine work Kelly. You were right to call. This could be the break I've been hoping for. Pay attention to your strange feelings, more likely than not they are right on the spot" Connor told her.

 _["Thanks. I'll book the flight first then text you the name of the contact shortly." Kelly hung up feeling relieved she had enough backbone to call him tonight. Compliments were few and far between from Connor. You really had to earn them. He did not pass them out like candy. She beamed as she set to work booking a flight.]_

* * *

 _ **SRU HQ – Briefing Room**_

A solemn group of four people sat around the briefing room table. No one from any of the other teams had ventured in; all wanting to give Team One space. Now was not the time to offer condolences because Team One was in shock.

Greg sat staring out the window. No one had moved or spoken for the past several hours. They just needed to be in the same room but with their own private thoughts. Although he had put off debrief Greg could not help running the day through his head but it was all fragmented and disjointed.

He was just numb right now he could not express any emotion. It had all turned off. It was too hard to accept Spike and Sam were gone. Bradley had informed them that the arson investigators would not declare the bodies as Sam and Spike until DNA or dental records confirmed it. Prudent he thought.

Until then he could put off calling Sam and Spike's families. That was something he did not look forward to doing. He could imagine Mrs. Scarlatti's and Mrs. Braddock's faces crumbling in grief. He had no idea how Mr. Scarlatti would react with him and Spike so estranged right now. But General Braddock would likely rage and bring the house down. Encounters he was grateful to be able to put off until official confirmation was made.

Wordy had his head lying on top of his arms on the table. He couldn't leave. Not yet and maybe not ever. Because when he left, he would head home to Shel. When Shel would wrap her arms around him sensing he needed her comfort he would die a little inside.

In her arms it would become real. He did not want it to become real. Right now, here in this place Sam and Spike were still alive. Wordy could easily imagine them rounding the corner arm in arm laughing and joking. Or even chasing each other down the halls fighting over the cookies Jules made for them.

So he could not go home. He could not tell Shel. He could not tell his sweet little girls. He would stay here for now, it hurt less here.

Wordy shifted his head to look at Ed. He had never seen Ed so enraged. He thought for sure Ed was gonna pull out his sniper rifle and take out the man that Team Three caught. It took him, Hal, and Mike to hold Ed down when the man was brought in for questioning. It was a cliché but if looks could kill then the glare Ed gave the man would have put him in the morgue.

Rollie's team had tracked the man through traffic cameras and other CCTV in the area. The man who had given the courier the last clue was now being interrogated by various agencies. There was a fight over who had jurisdiction. Wordy could care less which agency had jurisdiction as long as they found out who was responsible and Sam and Spike received justice.

Ed could not seem to unclench his jaw. All he felt was white hot rage. When the arson investigator told them they needed to get dental records to officially identify Sam and Spike his gut churned and he also most puked in front of everyone. He knew if dental records were needed that meant there was absolutely no other trace, clothing or parts of their body left to id them with. The mental imagery that brought forth turned his stomach.

Coming out of the bathroom after retching until all that was left was dry heaves he saw the man who was brought in for questioning about the last clue. Right now he was struggling with a moral dilemma. For the first time ever he wanted to kill, no, murder someone. He wanted whoever set that explosive dead, dead, dead.

If Wordy and the others had not held him back he would have killed the man with his bare hands. He never dreamed he could be driven to this point. But Sam and Spike had died so needlessly. The sick bastard was playing a damned game with them all day long. All the while the kids were actually safe and unharmed. It made his blood boil.

Jules was slowly opening the cocoon she had sealed her feeling into earlier so she could focus on finding the kids. She let small amounts of pain and anguish dribble out of the cocoon as tears fell from her eyes. She had cried so much in the last hours she should be dehydrated by now.

She decided that first she would let the feelings for Spike come out. Her beloved brother; life would be so boring without him. He always knew how to make her smile. Jules allowed happy images of Spike to roll through her head like a slideshow.

His child-like, wide open, innocent brown eyes were always so expressive. Memories of Spike's glee at having bomb calls and rolling out Babycakes assaulted her. More tears slipped out. She was going to miss him so very much. Why did today have to happen? It was all so senseless.

An image of Sam grinning mischievously at her from her bed slipped in unbidden. Jules pushed it away. She could not allow the feelings for Sam to come out here. Those were too deep and painful and she told herself she needed privacy because thoughts of him would break her completely.

But her mind was over-ridden by her heart. Her thoughts returned to this morning and their love-making. That's what it was. It was not just sex. It was truly love-making. Sam touched her heart in ways no one could ever imagine.

It had been a slow journey filled with both joy and hurt for them to realize they had to be together. Regardless of the cost they had to be together. That without each other life would have no meaning.

Sam saw her for who she really was. She could be vulnerable with him. She was always safe with him. Their souls were linked in such a way that they always knew what the other needed. It was that thought that finally triggered something in her shocked, numbed mind.

Something niggled at her. Her heart and mind were at war. Her heart was telling her Sam was not dead because if he was then her own heart would have stopped beating. Her mind was focusing on the reality of the day. Sam was dead, burned beyond recognition. A sob escaped her at that thought.

But her heart would not go down easy, it was fighting with a vengeance to be heard. Yelling, screaming, insisting that Sam was not dead. The feeling was so strong that it began to make inroads into her mind.

It was then that she thought about that last clue. What did Steeping mean he achieved his goal? What goal? The kids were found completely safe and unharmed. She sat up, wiped her eyes and said "Boss what was Steeping's goal?"

Pulled from his musings Greg looked at Jules "What?"

"The last message, Steeping said he achieved his goal. What was his goal?" Jules stated.

Shaking his head Greg softly said "No idea Jules. It could be anything. It could have been to watch us chase after the clues. It could have been …" His breath hitched but he continued "Sam and Spike. It could be anything."

Wordy lifted his head "What was the whole message again?"

Greg stood up. His earlier feeling that something just wasn't right about this call surged back and woke up his numbed mind. He walked to Winnie's desk "Winnie can you pull the file and transcript please, we need to review it now."

Eyes red rimmed Winnie nodded yes not trusting her voice. She got up and headed to the records room. Greg headed back to the briefing room.

Ed looked at the three "What are you thinking?"

Jules answered him "The Sarge and I felt something was weird about the call today. We talked about it briefly just after you four split up. But then the explosion happened and the rest and we didn't talk about it more."

Winnie came in with the file. Greg opened it and slid the clue to Jules as he opened the transcript. He flipped to where Sam and Spike entered the fishery and started reading silently.

Jules read the last clue out loud. "Thank you for playing. Kids at Storage One on Queen St. I achieved my goal. Damask Steeping."

Winnie commented "That is one weird name. Who would ever name a kid Damask?"

Greg stopped his reading and his face went white "We missed something big Jules."

Jules was pulled out of her thoughts about the weirdness of the name that started with Winnie's comment. Dread increasing as she saw the boss's face she said "What?"

Greg rubbed his eyes then said "Sam and Spike were not in the fishery alone. How the hell did I forget that." He quickly read aloud from the transcripts.

" _Braddock: "What's wrong Spike?"_

 _Scarlatti: "It's real, RDX"_

 _Scarlatti: "SRU stay where you are. Drop the weapon and hands where I can see them."_

 _Unknown: "Drop your weapon or he's dead."_

 _Scarlatti: "Let him go. I'm putting my weapon down. What is that you want?"_

 _Scarlatti: "What do you and your four buddies want with us? There's a bomb in there set to explode in about seven minutes."_

 _Braddock: "Spike?"_

 _Scarlatti: "It's okay Sam."_

 _Unknown: garbled indistinct sounds_

 _Scarlatti: "Why do you want me to put my guns down and remove my gear?"_

 _Single Shot fired followed by screaming._

 _Unknown: garbled indistinct sounds_

 _Sounds of a struggle and two shots fired then explosion._ "

Ed and Wordy looked at each other. This was not insignificant. Ed turned and yelled at Greg "They found only two bodies in the building and no one on the exterior. Based on Spike's comment including Sam and Spike that would be seven people in the fishery. Where are the other five? Sam and Spike might still be alive."

Greg pulled out his phone and dialed the arson investigator to relay the huge piece of information. He was reeling inside how he could have overlooked this. Those bodies may not be Spike and Sam after all.

Wordy was dumbfounded. He could see how the stress of the whole day could cause this oversight but it still pissed him off. Spike and Sam might still be alive. He voiced his next thought out loud "If they are alive, why haven't they contacted us?"

Winnie chimed in "They were ordered to remove their gear. That seems odd, especially with a bomb about to explode."

Jules had been listening to everything but her eyes had stayed on the message in front of her. Something about it was off. Winnie was right it was an odd name. It hit her like a freight train.

Looking up from the note her hands started to shake and tears welled in her eyes as she said "I know for a fact what the goal was. I should have seen it before. They would be safe right now if I had seen it sooner."

Everyone looked to Jules. None had seen her so shaken to the core before. Their courageous Jules looked small, frightened and vulnerable. Both Wordy and Ed reached over from opposite sides and placed a hand over her shaking ones. Greg got up and went to her and said with concern "What was the goal and how do you know?"

Jules voice was nearly a shaky as her hands now as she said "He signed his name right after the line I achieved my goal. Winnie's right it is a weird name. We could not find any background on the name. That's because it is not a name. It is an anagram."

Drawing a breath to stabilize her voice Jules continued "Damask Steeping is an anagram for 'get Sam and Spike'. Whoever set this up their goal was to get Sam and Spike. We got the clue where to find the kids after Sam and Spike were taken."

Ed turned to a shocked Winnie "Call the teams have them join us here. We need to start looking for them now."

Greg looked to Winnie who was about to run out of the room "Hold on Winnie. Ed we can't run off half-cocked. We don't even know where to start."

Glaring at Greg he said "Yes we do. The fishery."

Shaking his head Greg responded "Arson has been all over the buildings. They would have found signs."

Not to be derailed Ed yelled "But they didn't know they were looking for signs of someone leaving."

Pacing back and forth Greg replied "I'll call the arson investigator and let him know our suspicions in a moment. They can go over the scene again. I know we all want to find them alive and well. But, even if I don't want to believe it myself there is still the possibility that the bodies found in the building are them. We are officially off duty for the foreseeable future."

Ed started to interrupt and Greg stopped him with a hand gesture "Today was a terrible long day and we all are exhausted and not thinking clearly. We all need some sleep. Get some rest and we will meet back here at six am. We will see what arson turns up and then determine how to proceed. Until tomorrow there is really nothing more we can do."

"But" Ed started.

Greg stopped him again by cutting him off "Can you honestly tell me your head is on straight right now Ed? That you are not emotionally compromised. That you can be objective. Everything I see about you right now is screaming otherwise. You would not allow any of your team to operate like that and neither can I. You need to stand down. I will not see another member of this team, of this family, hurt today if I can prevent it. In your frame of mind that is highly likely to happen. I am giving you a direct order to go home and rest."

Ed stared at Greg. Dammit he was right. He hated not doing something right now. But with nothing to go on there was really nothing for them to do. He would go home and try to sleep but he didn't have to like it one damned bit. He nodded to Greg then strode out of the briefing room towards the lockers.

Wordy listened to Greg. He hated to admit he was right. It felt wrong to go home and sleep when Sam and Spike could be out there needing their help. When Ed capitulated and left for the locker room he dejectedly followed soon after.

Greg leaned down to Jules "I'm gonna give you a ride home." Jules simply nodded and then headed to the locker room. Her heart won the war. Now both her heart and mind agreed that Sam and Spike were alive. But her heart also knew they were in trouble and she vowed to find them.

When he was alone in the room Greg blew out the breath he had been holding. He hated not acting right now. But the fisheries would be too dark to examine right now and they might miss or destroy a small clue that would lead them to Sam and Spike. He sent up a silent prayer that the two bodies were not Sam and Spike. Then one telling his guys to hang on until they found them.


	7. Search Begins & Partner Betrayal Game

**Search Begins & Partner Betrayal Game**

* * *

 _ **Taxi Cab Enroute to Fisheries on Port Lands**_

Connor was drinking some strong coffee; had to, he needed the caffeine boost because he was completely knackered. He spent most of the flight re-reviewing each of the fifteen files. It wasn't as if he didn't know the files by heart. But he wanted to be completely prepared to assist in any way possible.

He had looked for reoccurring details of the MO so he would recognize them and possibly predict movements in this case. The case files indicated that it took the Anagram Killer between five and thirteen days to kill the officers. From the postmortem reports and pictures the Anagram Killer was utterly brutal. But since the SRU officers were taken only yesterday the chances were good that if they could get a lead on where the officers had been taken they could be saved.

He had spoken with the SRU Commander Norman Holleran who was very cooperative after he explained his interest in this case. Holleran had confirmed that the bodies in the fire were not his officers. Team One's Sergeant had informed the arson investigator of the fact the constables were not alone in the building. So they had rushed the dental comparisons and found that neither were even a close match for either officer. That had been a small relief.

Now it would be an all-out race to locate the missing SRU officers. He looked at his notes wanting to remember their names: Samuel Braddock and Michelangelo Scarlatti. From the details Holleran provided they fit the profile of the Anagram Killer's target. Single, male, late twenties to early thirties, partners in the field and friends outside of work.

Connor told Holleran when he was arriving and he instructed him to meet the multi-agency task force at the fishery upon his arrival. Connor had been a little surprised to find that so many agencies and departments were involved. There were seven, including his agency, that all claimed to have reason for being the one in charge or to at least be involved.

Toronto Metro Police had three departments involved including SRU, Homicide and Specialized Criminal Investigations. The Toronto Fire Department Arson Investigation Division was involved due to the explosions. He could see that those were all fairly relevant and understandable agencies.

But then Holleran had said that RCMP was claiming jurisdiction because the one subject apprehended so far had entered the country illegally. When he asked about the suspect Holleran said the man had clammed up and would not tell them anything not even his name. It looked like the man had more fear of whoever was in charge than of the police.

They only had a name Saul Rodriguez from his finger prints. He had many, many aliases and a long list of crimes in his home country of Brazil. His profiler Kelly had suggested that the killer was a loner and likely had trust issues. It made Connor wonder if the Anagram Killer picked up a new crew from each country he hit before moving to the next one. Especially since the last case was from Brazil.

Holleran had also said that a CSIS agent showed up claiming an interest in the case because one of the SRU officers taken had been consulting for them on several top secret projects. He checked his notes again. That would be Constable Scarlatti the technical guy and bomb expert.

Then he was told that an Army Special Forces liaison was involved because Constable Braddock was apparently ex-JTF2 and they claimed it could be a matter of national security. The name Braddock rolled around in his head. That name sounded familiar but he couldn't quite place it.

His agency, Interpol, rounded out the interested agencies and he knew ultimately they would take ownership. Connor decided to stay out of any ownership kerfuffle for now. He really didn't care which agency got credit for capture; that was all political as far as he was concerned.

He would not let politics get in the way. He had a job to do. What he sought right now was that they pool their resources and use their skills to ensure the perpetrators were caught and prevented from doing this ever again.

This was the first opportunity he had to catch the murdering bastard. So far the Anagram Killer had been very careful and the cases always came to him after the officers were dead and buried. It was frustrating there were never any traceable elements left behind at the crime scenes. They found nothing that allowed him to get even the slightest hint of who was actually doing this.

As the cab approached the location Connor decided he would only throw his weight around if any arguing impeded the progress to find the officers. As much as he wanted to catch the Anagram Killer his primary goal must be to find the abducted SRU officers alive. Hopefully, if they all worked together, it would be accomplished quickly and before much harm was inflicted on the officers.

* * *

 _ **Fisheries on Port Lands**_

The cabbie came to a stop and Connor paid him then got out. The sun was just breaking the horizon. Connor saw a number of men all gathered and arguing loudly. Bollocks, this did not bode well. What he heard angered him, it was an agency ownership pissing contest. He needed a moment to himself before addressing the issue.

He scanned the area and saw a lone woman standing near one of the burnt down buildings. At first glance in the morning light his heart halted. Alice. So petite, brown hair done up in a ponytail. She was wearing black shoes, faded gray jeans and a black sweater with her purse slung over her shoulder and held with one hand. His feet automatically propelled him towards her.

It was only as he got closer he realized it was not his beautiful daughter Alice. It was only a trick of the morning light and his sleep-deprived wishful thinking. No, Alice was gone and she had been for nearly nine years now. He continued forward still compelled even though it was not Alice.

The clothing he imagined, what Alice was wearing when she died, morphed into reality. He now saw the black boots, cool gray pants, a long-sleeve black uniform shirt covered by a tactical vest and an MP5 held in her hands. She was an SRU officer. He smiled because she still was petite and had a soft brown ponytail just like Alice.

Connor stopped at her side peering at the burned out building. He saw where the bodies had been laying. After a moment he took a slide glance at the petite officer and was shocked. She did somewhat resemble his Alice. A set jaw and fierce look of determination. Although small in stature, here definitely was a woman to be reckoned with. She turned and set an appraising eye to him.

Jules noticed the silver haired man that appeared to her right. She had heard him approaching. He was wearing a nice suit, not cheap but not overly expensive. He wore comfortable looking loafers. Instantly she got the vibe that he was in law enforcement of some kind. Jules wonder which one of the agencies currently wasting valuable time arguing over who was to process the scene he belonged to.

"Can I help you?" Jules said calmly although she was nothing even close to calm. She noticed an almost haggard but determined look on his age worn face as he turned toward her when she addressed him.

Turning to face her Conner noticed the dark circles under her eyes but also the spark of fire that burned in her eyes. He instantly knew she must be a teammate of the officers taken. He smiled kindly and said "I hope I can help you. I'm Connor McGillie, Interpol Manchester, UK. Please call me Connor."

She heard Interpol and thought this is just great one more agency to play the damned power game and wasting time, valuable time. God she wished they could get started already. Sam and Spike needed them to be able to start. But no, the damned political types were duking it out to be top man.

Jules knew Commander Holleran was over there trying to mediate so they could get started. He was as ticked off as the rest of Team One that they were not allowed into crime scene until they determine which agency would take lead.

But for some unknown reason that thought faded as she continued to look at the man. Jules was drawn to the man's hazel eyes, they were kind eyes. He had a clear strong voice that sounded younger than he looked and a refined English accent. She found herself responding "I'm Julianna Callaghan, SRU. My friends call my Jules."

"May I call you Jules?" Connor asked with a slight smile.

She nodded then said "What is Interpol doing here?"

Connor briefly explained "Sadly, this circumstance has a similar MO to fifteen cold cases I'm working that have occurred in fifteen countries over eight years. I'm here to offer information and help to get your teammates back alive. I have details that will hopefully help find the officers before it is too late for them like the others."

Jules looked at him incredulously. Something like this had happened before? Not just this once, but fifteen times? His words were not lost on her, get them back before it was too late for Sam and Spike like the fifteen other times.

She was tired of waiting to get stated so said "Boss, Ed, Wordy can you join me please. I've got someone here that may be able to help us find Sam and Spike."

At her words Connor watched as three men dressed like her approached from an SUV several yards away. They were not part of the group arguing for dominance in the case. He wondered how they had heard her from this distance but then he noticed the headset in her ear. All three men looked much like her and somewhat like himself, worry-worn and tired but determined.

Something felt right like it had never felt before. Connor's gut told him that he had just found the team that would solve this case. He would bypass the political wrangling and get started with these four SRU officers.

* * *

 _ **House in the Woods - Basement**_

Spike blinked his eyes open. When had he fallen asleep he wondered? Looking across from him he saw Sam's eyes were still closed. He wanted badly to check on him, wake him like he should do with a head injury. But he also did not want to wake him. He watched Sam's chest rise and fall, regular breathing, no signs of distress. Good.

He needed him asleep for his plan to work. If Sam were awake he would speak first and tell them he would take the consequences and Spike just could not let that happen. Sam was in no shape to get hit anymore. He could take it whether Sam thought he could or not.

Rolling his head around his shoulders to stretch his aching neck Spike wondered if the team would be looking for them yet. With a little sleep and time to think his clearer head had realized they would check the identities of the bodies. They would know it was not him and Sam but how long would that take?

Spike then wondered how long he had slept. There was no window so he could not tell if it was daytime yet. He glanced at his watch. Wow near seven am. He slept almost four hours straight. Sam had been out for nearly seven. Good, with a concussion he really needed the rest.

The door to the basement opened. Spike looked up as the leader and the boat driver came down the stairs. The leader said in an all too happy voice "Good morning. Time to wake up and play our little game. I trust you two have decided who is answering the questions and who is taking the consequences."

Spike quickly spoke "I'm taking the consequences. Sam is answering questions."

The leader smiled weirdly Spike thought; it creeped him out. He instructed the henchman to wake up Sam. The henchman opened his duffle bag and pulled out a large cup then went to the sink and filled it with water. He came back, lifted Sam's head by the chin and tilted it back then dumped the entire contents onto Sam's upturned face.

Startled awake, Sam felt a flickering instance of absolute fear as cold water splashed into his face. His rapid intake of breath resulted in a coughing fit as he inhaled some water with the air. Sam rapidly blinked his eyes. God he couldn't stand water hitting his face but at least there was no rag tightly covering his nose and mouth.

It took him a moment to realize he was not there and to recall exactly where he was at. Crap here wasn't much better then there. He quickly looked to the other chair needing to know if Spike was okay. Relief cascaded down through him much like the water still dripping down his face.

Several more coughs clearing his lungs and he registered the leader and his henchman. His head was wrenched backwards and up by the henchman as the crazy bastard approached him and said "Time to wake up. Games about to start and you need to play."

The first thing Sam said was "I'm taking the consequences."

"Tsk, tsk, both of you so noble. But your buddy already beat you to declaring he was going to take the consequences" the leader smirked.

Sam glared at Spike. What was he doing? "Spike, we agreed."

Spike glared back. "No we didn't. You went out when we were discussing it. He asked me first so I made the decision" he responded resolutely. Then a bit softer he said "I can handle more than you think."

Looking at his friend, his brother, Sam understood the protectiveness Spike felt for him. It was the same he felt for Spike. Sam sighed and gave Spike a saddened look that read as you really shouldn't have done that. Spike's expression back at him said I had to buddy.

Sam's head was clearer today, it still throbbed but luckily the nausea and light sensitivity had mostly abated. He acknowledged Spike's decision with one short nod. Then he gave Spike a look that communicated thank you. Out loud Sam said "I guess I'm answering questions then."

Rubbing his hands together the leader looked gleeful "Capitulated a bit easy didn't you. Guess you don't care as much about him as he does about you."

Sam remained quiet allowing the accusation to roll off his back. This man did not know them. Also there was no question there and he had learned to keep verbal responses to a minimum when dealing with interrogations and torture. He kept his eyes on the leader and his face neutral.

"Shall we begin?" the leader asked.

Sam nodded once.

"Okay, first let me introduce myself. My name is Vlad Reznik. I'll be your host for a little game I like to call Partner Betrayal. We will start easy. What is your buddy's name?" Vlad asked. He thought this is going be fun to watch Spike's reaction.

"Spike" Sam answered.

At the same time as Vlad said "Wrong" the henchman landed a solid punch to his stomach that made Sam gasp for breath. He was not expecting that.

Spike's eyes widened in disbelief as he yelled "What the hell? I'm the one who is taking the consequences. And my name is Spike."

Grinning at Spike, Vlad corrected "Your nickname is Spike. I did not ask for your nickname." God the look on his face was priceless. It was almost as if he had been punched too. This was gonna be so good.

Pushing the gun into Sam's thigh he spoke again "Now Spike you best be quiet. Sam is answering the questions. If you so much as speak again I will shoot him in the leg. Point blank range might just shatter his femur."

As he had gasped for air Sam overheard the answer to Spike's statements. His mind was rapidly running through his training and realized what this bastard was doing; consequences could take on many forms.

Part of him was very glad the man took this path. He could handle the physical pain. He just hoped Spike could handle the emotional pain. Spike had chosen to take the consequences thinking he would save Sam from the physical beating. Neither of them had counted on the real consequences being emotional ones.

Spike was going to be forced to watch him get beat to hell for wrong answers. Sam knew that would play havoc with Spike's emotions. He would feel guilty and think it was his fault. But none of this was either of their faults. It was solely this madman's fault.

Turning back to Sam, Vlad said "Now, what is your buddy's name?"

Sam answered "Michelangelo Scarlatti." He wanted to add 'it's not your fault Spike'. But he knew it would result in some form of retaliation so he kept quiet trying to let Spike see his message in his expression.

"Good. You caught on quick. What is your name?" Vlad asked.

"Samuel W. Braddock" he answered. Christ it was on the tip of his tongue to add his rank and service number too but luckily he stopped himself in time.

Warming to his game Vlad inquired "What are the names of your team mates?"

Sam struggled with whether he should answer. His military training wanted to kick in and remain mute and not answer even the most benign sounding question. He received a hard slap to the face for remaining quiet. He still did not answer. The man snarled at him.

Vlad walked over to Spike and pointed the gun at Spike "You will play along and give me an answer to each question or I will shoot him several times in non-lethal locations. Then you can simply watch as he slowly bleeds out and dies."

If he was still in JTF2 he would remain quiet knowing that his buddy would understand why he stayed quiet. But Spike was not a JTF2 soldier and the questions were not top secret. The answers to the questions could be easily found. In fact the man had to already know the answers if he was going to be able to determine a wrong answer.

Pushing that part of his training aside Sam answered "Gregory Parker, Edward Lane, Kevin Wordsworth and Julianna Callaghan."

Reznik proceeded to ask him questions that were seemingly innocuous about sports, local events, news, locations of places and general trivia. Every time he got one wrong, he was punched in the stomach, face or ribs. Vlad quickly found his weakness and noticed he had mostly wrong answers for the local events and news.

Sam knew he got them wrong because he lived in an insular world that revolved around work and Jules. He did not watch the news and he and Jules were mostly home-bodies due to their secret relationship. They could not take the risk of being seen about town as a couple very often. They had only taken in a few movies or dinners out since they got back together.

Spike was reeling. He had to bite the insides of his cheeks not yell at the bastard to stop or to call out the answers. He knew the answer to every single question that had been asked so far. God what had he been thinking. Sam never watched TV unless it was a sporting event. He knew Sam preferred to be outside and engaged in an activity rather than idly watching TV.

His buddy was getting beat to hell because he had assumed. He assumed he knew what the consequences would be. He knew better than to assume. He could see the bruising on Sam's chest and side beginning. The henchman kept hitting Sam in the same spots. His lip was already split and bleeding.

Spike wondered how long the questioning would go on. He looked at his watch and saw it had gone on for over two hours now. How much could Sam take?

Sam was finding it difficult to manage the pain. This wasn't like what he had trained for. He was trained to manage the pain by letting his mind go to another place. Trained to disassociate himself from the beatings and the questions. That was easier to do because his training required him to stay mute or simply respond automatically with name, rank and service number.

But this was different. He had to listen for the question and then respond. His mind had to stay present in the here and now. If he didn't respond to the question the bastard threatened to shoot Spike.

Crap, he realized he hadn't heard the last question as he heard Vlad yell "Answer the question or Spike gets shot."

Sam asked "What was the question?" His jaw was slammed again with a huge fist. He spat out blood that filled his mouth, god he hated the coppery metal taste of blood.

Vlad said "I asked you if you had a girlfriend."

Sam panicked inside he could not answer this one honestly. It was a secret that could get them fired. This man might go after Jules too. He could not risk that and needed to protect Jules at all costs. Outwardly he had remained neutral and he answered "No."

"Wrong" Vlad laughed and Sam was slugged in the side again. "Do you have a girlfriend?" he asked again.

"No" he answered again. Sam was hit again. This was repeated over and over and over until Sam was gasping for breath between nos and hits.

Spike was looking at Sam. Why was he answering no all the time? Vlad apparently wanted him to answer yes. Even though he didn't have a girlfriend he should just answer yes. What was Sam doing? And why would Sam would not meet his eyes?

Then it came to him. Sam did have a girlfriend. He knew Sam was not a kiss and tell kind of guy. Hell he and Lou had tried for so long for him to give them any details and he never would. It was clear to him now Sam was trying to protect his girlfriend. Spike sure as hell hoped the girlfriend would appreciate the lengths he was willing to go to protect her.

Vlad looked to Zhang who appeared to be getting winded by all the hits he was landing. Was his intel on Sam wrong? The man kept answering no when Zhang had indicated yes. No Zhang was never wrong in his intel. He decided that he was trying to protect her.

Oh how noble and stupid he thought. He would get the answer he wanted. He pulled Zhang into the corner away from the others and whispered "Zhang, why would he keep answering no? Is there anything you failed to tell me about his girlfriend?"

Zhang thought back to everything he had observed. He was not allowed to take pictures when following the officers like he did the kids only handwritten notes so nothing could be traced via computers. "Can I go review the notes I gave you Master to see if I missed anything?" He was given permission and he ran upstairs.

Vlad went back to Sam and Spike and said "A little intermission in our game." He opened a water bottle, grabbed ahold of Spike's hair and yanked his head backwards and tilted it up. He put the bottle to Spike's lips and said "Drink."

Spike had no choice to comply and he sputtered as the water was spilled down his throat at a faster rate than he could take it in. The man poured the water in for so long that Spike inhaled some of the water when he took a breath. When the water stopped and after he finished coughing he saw the man take a drink from the same bottle. He ventured "Sam could use some water too."

"Oh could he now? I think not. He's not playing by the rules. He is not answering truthfully. Why do you think that might be?" Vlad snarled.

Spike looked to the man. It seemed more a rhetorical question than one Vlad wanted an actual answer to so Spike kept this mouth shut. Vlad turned and went up the stairs then slammed the door shut.

Concern filled Spike's eyes as he looked at Sam. He was quiet and his head hung down. God he was a bloody mess right now. Taking a chance he whispered "Sam you okay?"

Sam was trying very hard to push the pain away. He lifted his head a bit and flicked his eyes to Spike. He answered "mm k."

His brown eyes wide and pleading Spike said "Just say yes. Please. Whoever you think you are protecting they probably already know about. They are going to beat you to death you if you don't say yes. Please say yes."

"izz k. can't tell. will hurt her. won't hurt her" Sam said cryptically partially to keep the truth hidden and partially because his jaw hurt too much to talk more than a few words. He spat out more blood. He let his head drop down again and focused inward.

Sam let the here and now fade away as his mind wandered to a good memory to escape the pain. He didn't have to search far back at all. He let the memory of yesterday morning play over and over in his mind. God she was so lovely first thing in the morning. He focused on his image of her kiss swollen lips; so soft, so demanding, so perfect.

* * *

 _ **Fisheries on Port Lands**_

Connor had quickly brief the team on what he knew then they moved into the burnt out building looking for clues. Team One found out very quickly that Connor McGillie was not a man to mess with when the bickering agencies tried to stop them from entering the building.

He set them all straight that Interpol was in charge but Team One of the SRU would be taking the lead. That his expectation was that all agencies cooperate to the fullest extent. That there was no time for political bullshit. That the primary goal was to find two missing officers before they were brutally murdered and the Anagram Killer's body count became thirty-two.

Very quickly Ed and Wordy found a trap door that was not on the plans that opened to a dock below. Wordy found traces of blood and the arson investigator collected it and sent it off for analysis. Jules stood on the dock with Connor and said "So this Anagram Killer abducted the kids just to get Sam and Spike. Is that part of his MO?"

Connor nodded "Yes and he left the bodies and planted the bomb as a diversion to allow time to get away."

Greg asked "But how would he know that Sam and Spike would be the ones to come to the fishery?"

"My profiler believes that the partners are surveilled long enough to distinguish patterns of behaviors. You did say there were pictures of the kids that were from months ago. It is likely the officers were watched for the same length of time." Connor answered.

Climbing back up the ladder Greg was thinking. They had to leave by boat. He was wondering how to track a boat. It could have gone anywhere. At the top of the ladder he saw Team Two arriving on the scene per his request.

He went directly to Bradley "Camden I need Curtis to see if there are any surveillance cameras or anything that can could help us determine what type of boat was used. Or anything that might help us track one from here." Bradley nodded and called Curtis over and the three began discussing possibilities.

Ed had the same thought but he approached the Army Special Forces liaison "I'm Ed Lane I assume you were sent here by General Braddock."

"Yes Sir. I'm Corporal Cassandra Xenos one of the General's analysts. You can call me Cassie though. I've been instructed to help wherever I can" Cassie responded.

Ed thought the last name sounded familiar and she looked familiar too. He said would you be any relation to "Apollo, I mean Corporal Stefano Xenos?"

Cassie smiled "Yes Sir. Apollo is my twin brother. He's a Master Corporal now and still speaks highly of all of you. What can I do to help?" Ed outlined the need to try and locate the boat that left from this location. After getting details on time of day she hurried off to her vehicle to get her laptop and contact the General.

Wordy stood looking out at the water a thought came to him. He pulled out his phone and made a call to a friend in Guns and Gangs. "Hey Bill, it's me Kevin. I have a favor to ask. I know you have been doing a lot of surveillance work with the whole Black Dragons and Crimson Eagles rivalry and their gun running operations. I was wondering if you might have any ops going on in or around the Port Lands?"

He spent several minutes explaining the situation to Bill. His friend agreed to check into it and get back to him shortly. Wordy hung up and looked over to Jules. She seemed distracted, uneasy and lost.

It was clear that she needed some support. He was seeing more vulnerability from her than he had ever seen before. He wondered why, then he realized that she was alone dealing with this.

The rest of them had family to go home to and draw strength from. Ed has Sophie, Clark and baby Izzy. Greg has Dean. He has Shel and the girls. Jules had no one to go home to at night, to hold her and tell her everything would be okay.

Wordy walked up to her and put an arm around her shoulder. "We'll find them Jules. We will not rest until we do."

Jules leaned into Wordy needing a bit of strength. Connor's words made her a bit uneasy. She had seen all the photos of the kids. Were there a slew of photos of her and Sam together? If so their secret would be out. But this time, although it would hurt Jules was ready to give up Team One for Sam.

She loved all the guys but Sam was her heart and soul. She could not live without out him and refused to give him up this time. So if they, no wait, scratch that, WHEN they found him and if there were photos of them she would willingly step down from Team One for Sam.

Jules pulled back and looked up to Wordy and saw the concern in his eyes "I'll be okay as soon as we find them. I heard you talking on the phone. How long do you think it will be before Bill gets back to you? The waiting is, is …" Jules fumbled for a descriptive word.

"is hard, terrible, unbearable, unnerving" Greg completed Jules sentence as he came up to her other side and wrapped her in a hug. "We're gonna find them."

When Greg released her Ed hugged her next and told her essentially the same thing. The three guys had all arrived at the same conclusion; Jules needed their support.

Ed determined she damn well was going to get it. If they did not find Sam and Spike today he would ensure that Jules was not alone tonight. She would be going home with one of them whether she wanted to or not.

* * *

 _ **House in the Woods - Basement**_

Armed with his new knowledge from Zhang, he almost skipped down the stairs. He almost shot Zhang for not including that tidbit in the file. But with Saul missing he needed to keep Zhang alive to do the beatings and other things.

Vlad wasn't surprised that Zhang complained that his fists hurt. But he was surprised when he asked if he could use something else when they got started again because they hurt. He reluctantly agreed because Sam was proving more difficult than he first thought he would be.

But this little tidbit might just do the trick. Approaching the two men he saw both had their eyes closed. Vlad clapped his hands loudly and said "Intermission over; time to get started again."

Spike startled at the clap. He opened his eyes to find the evil bastard grinning again. He looked over at Sam and his head was still down. It worried him.

A hard slap to his face brought Sam back to the here and now. He despised having to leave the world he had built thinking of Jules. In his mind she had comforted him and soothed his pains. She let him lay his head in her lap while she brushed through his hair with her delicate fingers. The touch so soft and light making his head tingle.

Sam opened his eyes to the brutal real world. He gave the man a blank stare no emotion showing.

"Shall we begin again? Do you have a girlfriend?" the man asked.

"No" Sam stubbornly answered. Pain rippled through his shaking body as he was hit with the electrodes of a Taser gun.

Watching Sam's body convulse and jerk as the electricity tore through him was more than Spike could stand. He screamed "Stop it."

Vlad looked at Spike happy for his outburst. His buddy Sam would see it as a form of betrayal. He had warned him what would happen if he spoke. He waited until Sam had somewhat recovered from the shock.

Deadly serious Vlad looked at Spike and sneered "I'm a man of my word. You need to remember that. I told you exactly what would happen if you spoke during our game. This is your fault Spike." He aimed the gun and fired at Sam.

The bullet entered and exited the fleshy part of his upper right thigh and lodged into the wooden seat. Pain burned red hot along the bullet's path then shot outward both up and down his leg. Sam slammed his eyes closed and clenched his jaw hard to swallow the scream that wanted to escape. He couldn't stop the sound completely and a long, strangled, horrible groan of pain was still heard from him.

Shit he had forgotten how painful getting shot was. His jaw unclenched as his breathing started coming in short pants and gasps as pain continued to radiate from the wound. Sam tried to steady his breathing to slower, longer breaths as he felt the adrenaline starting to rush through his veins. In a moment the adrenaline would help dull the pain a bit. It couldn't come soon enough as he thought shit this hurts.

Spike's eyes teared up. Oh god what did I just do. Shit, shit, shit. He wanted to yell out I'm sorry Sam but clenched his jaw. Vlad was absolutely fucking insane. Holy shit what was he going to do. He watched as the blood started dripping on the floor. Shit Sam I'm so, so, so sorry.

Prying his eyes open Sam stared hard at Spike. He was silently willing him to look up and meet his eyes so he could understand he didn't blame him. But he could see in his expression Spike was lost in a world of his own mental pain. Spike's eyes were locked onto his wound and would not raise and meet his eyes.

He so wanted to tell Spike I'm sorry for the pain this is causing you but I cannot admit Jules is my girlfriend. I cannot risk losing her to this madman. I must protect her and keep her safe. I will not admit it even if it means my death.

Sam heard the same question again. He answered no again. He was shocked again. It repeated three more times.

Watching in silent horror as Sam continued to answer no and pay the consequences Spike felt so damned useless and helpless. He found himself getting angry at Sam for continuing to say no. But that anger was miss-directed he knew. He glared at the man pulling the Taser trigger. If he could get free he would have no qualms about killing both of those men with his bare hands if he could.

Damn this man was stubborn or well-trained or both Vlad thought. I think he would rather die than admit it. He smiled. He might be willing to die, but would he be willing to let his buddy die for a girl? Time to find out.

Vlad waited a few more minutes until the aftershocks finished running through Sam's body. He walked to Spike and placed the gun at his temple. "Sam I need you to open your eyes now and look at your buddy."

It took so much energy to open his eyes but he finally managed. He focused on Spike. No. Oh god no. He would have to choose. He knew the man would not hesitate to shoot Spike. Hell he had a bullet hole to prove that. He waited for the question unsure how he would answer now.

Spike's eyes locked onto Sam's. He was pleading for Sam to give them the answer they wanted. Then he saw the pain and indecision in Sam's eyes. The indecision he saw rocked him to the core.

For there to be indecision it meant whoever Sam was protecting was extremely important to him. All the pain Sam was willing to endure told Spike that Sam was willing to die to protect the woman. But would Sam let him die in order to protect her?

Vlad let the tension rise as he stayed quiet with the gun at Spike's head. He was excited to see if Sam would betray his buddy.

Smiling Vlad asked "What is the name of your girlfriend?"


	8. The Choice, Primal Rage, A Lead & Caring

**The Choice, Primal Rage, A Lead & Caring **

* * *

_**House in the Woods - Basement**_

Vlad had not asked him if he had a girlfriend this time but what is her name. Oh god he had to do this. He had to choose between his brother and the love of his life.

Sam chose. Regret shone in Sam's eyes and raw emotion choked his voice as he said "Spike I'm so sorry." A coughing fit overtook him.

Spike's face fell, Sam was choosing the woman. He hoped she was worth both his and Sam's lives. Because he knew once he was dead the insane bastard would kill Sam too. There would be no reason to keep Sam alive except to torture him more. Which he was likely to do given the sadistic nature he had seen thus far. But in the end Sam would be dead too.

Vlad's face lit with glee, Sam was betraying his buddy. Then anger surged through him. This proved to him once again partners could not be trusted when most needed. Sergei had proven that to him years ago. But he had his revenge. Then the glee returned watching the looks on the two faces. This was better than he imagined.

As the coughing died down and Sam regained and maintained eye contact with Spike as he rasped out "I'm so sorry Spike. Jules. Her name is Jules."

Sam could not stop the tears rolling from his eyes. He had said her name to protect Spike. The threat to Jules was potential but the threat to Spike was very real and imminent with the gun at his temple. He could not watch as Spike's brains were blown out.

He had to watch too many JTF2 buddies die in front of him unable to prevent their horrific deaths. He had watched Sara, his beloved little sister die right in front of him unable to stop her death. He still had nightmares of her death near her birthday. It would break him completely to watch Spike, his chosen brother die in front of him when he had the means to stop it.

But it hurt so damned much to betray both Spike and Jules by simply stating her name. He registered the absolute shock in Spike's eyes. He hoped one day if they got out of this alive, Spike might forgive his betrayal. Forgive him for going behind his back and keeping his relationship with Jules a secret.

Tears fell for him, Spike and Jules. Nothing would ever be the same now, he had betrayed them both. He was ready to give his life for Jules but he could never give Spike's life for her. He hoped Jules would be able to understand and forgive him someday too.

Spike had waited for the blast. It came but not in the form he expected. His head was not blown away by a bullet. But his mind still was still blown by what he heard. Sam was protecting Jules this whole time. Sam and Jules. Jules and Sam. It was hard to comprehend.

Images rushed into his head trying desperately to see the connection between the two. He knew Sam and Jules were best friends and had been for years. When did things change? Racking his brain he could not find a single instance that made him think their relationship was anything more than best friends. How long had Sam and Jules been hiding this from him and the team?

If this got out the team was finished. The brass would never allow Sam and Jules to remain on the same team. Things would never be the same. He thought he knew Sam but he had been lying to him by omission for how long? How could Sam jeopardize the team like this? Did he really ever know Sam? Was it all a façade?

All he could do was stare at Sam in shock. Then his thoughts shifted away from the petty elements to the important ones. Yes he did know Sam. He knew the core of Sam. Spike had seen into his soul that day in the bank when Sam put himself on the line to prevent three suicides. He saw the lengths Sam would go to protect strangers and loved ones; the little boy at Darby dock, Matt's son and countless others.

Now Sam had been protecting Jules. Sam was willing to die to protect Jules. To go to that length it showed such devotion Sam must truly love Jules.

But Sam was not willing to let him die to do the same thing. Sam was protecting him when it mattered most. The look of utter devastation in Sam's eyes ripped his heart wide open. His brother had been forced to choose between him and the woman he loved and was paying a dear price for that choice.

Spike closed his eyes and dropped his head. He was unable to take the intense shattered pain he saw in Sam's eyes. He wanted to kill the bastard that caused Sam that kind of pain in addition to all the physical pain he had inflicted.

Vlad watched the play of emotions on each man. This was so good. So damned good. He broke them. It had been easier than he thought after all. Leave it to a woman to come between partners, buddies and friends. Women were the source of so much betrayal he thought as an image of Sergei entered his head.

Shaking that image loose his watched the men closely; he didn't want to miss a second of this. The myriad of emotions on Spike's face he had expected. It was an absolute thing of beauty when Spike broke eye contact and could no longer bear to look at the buddy who betrayed him. Vlad knew he would love re-watching the video of that reaction over and over in the future.

However, the tears and emotion on Sam's face was totally unexpected. The stoic and blank looks he had seen as Sam endured the questioning and beatings was gone. It was replaced by the look of a mortally wounded animal. It was a look of an animal that would either whimper and die or lash out one last killing strike. It was fascinating. He would probably watch this part of the video every day of his life.

It seemed like an eternity that Sam stared at Spike letting his true emotions be seen. Opening up the real Sam, removing all masks and barriers trying to let Spike see how sorry he was he lied to him. A new wave of anguish surged through him when Spike closed his eyes and turned away from him.

Hot tears continued to fall as it became clear to Sam that because of his betrayal Spike could not bear to look at him now. A sharp stabbing pain of rejection filled Sam's heart. His eyes lingered on Spike begging him to look at him again and to forgive him.

Finally Sam tore his gaze from Spike. Sam read by Spike's body language that forgiveness would never be given. Something inside him broke and shattered. He had betrayed the two people he cared about the most. It was unforgivable.

He turned his head and through tear blurred eyes he saw Vlad. The man threatening those he care about most; the one who forced him to say Jules name. He blinked to clear his eyes of tears then bored his eyes into Vlad's. Anger so primal engulfed him.

A feral growl roared from Sam then he bellowed "You touch Jules, hurt her in the slightest way. YOU WILL DIE!"

The fierceness, ruthlessness and certainty with which Sam had spoken had Vlad taking three quick steps backwards seeking distance from Sam. His gun dropped from Spike's head and hung limply in his hand at his side. Fear the likes of which he had never known consumed him.

Holy hell what did he unleash? Vlad watched enthralled as Sam strained with all his might against the plastic bonds. He swallowed hard backing up more. Vlad raised the gun towards Sam just before the plastic zip-ties holding him down burst. Vlad froze, powerless to do anything to save himself as Sam started for him.

He plainly saw the wild intent to kill in those icy blue eyes. His breath caught and he forgot how to breathe. He knew that in the space of time it would take to inhale he was going to die. His body lost the ability to hold its fluids.

In the next instant he was confused. Sam was on the ground convulsing and jerking. It took Vlad a moment to realize that Zhang had triggered the Taser. He watched hypnotized as Sam withered on the ground as the aftershocks coursed through both of their bodies. Sam from the Taser shock and him from the raw, base emotions he saw and felt.

Vlad immediately headed for the stairs yelling over his shoulder to Zhang release Spike from his bonds for now and then to join him upstairs in the video room. He took the stairs two at a time. Vlad had to go re-watch that video now. The powerful emotional rush it had given him was beyond compare. It was euphoric.

Spike could only stare at Sam on the ground he was so overcome by what he had just witnessed. Emotions ran rampant zinging through his body. His eyes were hooded and soft with concern and dread as tears freely fell.

He was so concentrated on Sam's bloodied body still jerking on the ground that he didn't see Zhang approach. He became aware Zhang was there after he was gasping for air from a one, two punch to his gut. Then he only saw stars as the butt of a gun slammed into the side of his head. Spike slumped forward in the chair semi-conscious.

Zhang pressed the trigger once more on the Taser. He wanted to ensure Sam was truly incapacitated before he approached. He looked with trepidation and awe at the man on the floor withering in pain again. He cut the zip-ties off of Spike's wrists and ankles. Then he removed the Taser leads from Sam's chest, grabbed his duffle bag and headed up the stairs.

At the top he stopped and looked down on the officers his Master had abducted this time. They were extraordinary. One showed his emotions so openly and the other, oh my god. He had never seen his Master so excited before from an emotional outburst. Christ his Master had even wet his pants.

These two men were in for some extreme torture he could tell. His Master would do all in his power to provoke emotion like that again from the blonde man. He exited and locked the basement.

* * *

 _ **Fisheries on Port Lands**_

It took nearly two hours before they had any sort of lead and it was minimal at best. But at least it was better than nothing. Curtis found one surveillance camera for the warehouse down the dock that recorded a ten second clip of a Hewes Ocean Pro boat moving near the fishery two evenings ago.

It was the only boat that passed by that was small enough to moor at the dock. They got a partial name for the boat 'Clarem'. Curtis was now accessing the Coast Guard registry looking for possible matches.

Greg and Jules were currently reviewing the Anagram Killer case files. Jules had suggested it might be a good idea to have more sets of eyes and different perspectives reviewing the files in hope they could glean anything useful or gain insight into the subject. Greg and Connor had agreed. Connor was now reviewing Team One's transcript from yesterday's call for the same reason.

The arson investigator and his team had re-combed all three buildings and sent bomb pieces, fibers, hair and blood samples to be analyzed. Connor had Interpol send crime scene investigators to all the locations Team One had visited yesterday. All were tasked with looking for evidence that might lead them to the identities of the abductors. Since Connor and Interpol were in charge, all evidence was being rushed through Interpol labs and databases.

A child psychologist along with an investigator was sent to the Watson home to re-interview the children. But the kids were still unable to describe the men other than in generalities because they wore ski masks. Jodie Watson had said the man that talked to them only said they were in danger. That their parents and the police had put them in the safe place until the danger was over. They were told to be quiet and that it would not be too long before the police came for them.

Ed stood watching the media circus beyond the perimeter tape. He was thinking that it was hard to stop media interest in the fire and explosions that had been seen and heard by so many people. He was glad to see the Fire Chief playing ball. He was currently making a brief statement giving only a partial version of what was occurring.

The Chief was informing the media that two unidentified men were found in the burnt down fishery and that the Arson department was investigating the cause. But that they currently had no leads on who was responsible. It was the truth just not all of it. Ed grinned as he heard the Chief effectively dodge questions about the large and varied presence of officers and agencies on the scene.

Ed was glad that so far they had been able to keep any mention of Sam and Spike being missing from the media. Connor had briefed everyone involved on the Anagram Killer case. They all realized that if word got out it might tip off the abductors. It was pretty much accepted by those working this scene that this was the sixteenth case of the Anagram Killer. They all knew that the killer would likely deviate from the normal pattern and kill Sam and Spike if it were known the officers were missing.

As he stood next to Ed watching the Fire Chief field one inane question after another Wordy's phone rang. He answered it "Hey Bill, got anything?" Ed looked at him with interest hoping Wordy's friend had a lead for them.

 _[Bill responded "Kevin, thoroughly checked the Port Lands and Eastern Channel. Those are not areas used by either gang or any other gangs we are tracking. Sorry we have no surveillance in that area. The Black Dragons tend to run out of Ashbridges Bay and the Crimson Eagles out of Humber Bay and we are currently surveilling those bays. If you have anything for me to go on, any potential leads I can pull the tapes for those locations."]_

"Actually we have a partial name for a boat. We are running it for matches against registries but haven't gotten any hits yet. It's only a partial name is 'Clarem'. It was on a Hewes Ocean Pro boat. The video was in black and white so we have no idea of the color of the boat." Wordy supplied.

 _["Wow that could be so many names. But knowing the type of boat should narrow it down. It's a long shot but I'll have a couple of guys start reviewing our tapes working backwards from this morning. Hopefully we can find that model of boat with that partial name" Bill offered.]_

"That would be much appreciated. We are grasping for any lead. They've been gone for a little over eighteen hours now." Wordy and Bill conversed a bit more then he thanked him for his help then hung up. He turned to Ed "Anything from the Army yet?"

Ed shook his head "No Cassie is waiting for access to satellite footage to see if there is any activity in this area yesterday. She didn't sound hopeful though."

As Ed recalled Cassie's phone call he couldn't help himself as a small smile crossed his lips "I was nearly three feet away from Cassie and I could hear the General shouting orders to his staff when she made her request."

Wordy rejoined with a small smile of his own "That man can be very loud and angry when it comes to Sam's welfare. He can be meaner than a mama bear protecting her cub." The smile fading a bit Wordy asked "Did you get a chance to talk to Greg on how it went with the Scarlatti's?"

Ed's smile completely disappeared and his fists clenched "Went with him. It didn't go good. It was hard for Greg to tell them that Spike was missing. They had a right to know but still. Hard. Spike's mother was in tears and his father started ranting that he knew the job would kill his son. That he should have listened to him long ago and quit."

"He does realize that Spike is not dead. Didn't he?" Wordy said upset by the father's reaction. By unspoken mutual agreement the team refused to think Sam and Spike were anything but alive.

"Greg made that clear several times he was just missing. He stopped trying after his father said he meant that Spike was dead to him already, that he was disrespectful and should have quit SRU a long time ago" Ed related as he clenched and unclenched his fist. It angered him immensely that Mr. Scarlatti was treating Spike like that.

Wordy patted his friends shoulder "Unfortunately there is nothing we can do about that. It is between Spike and his father to work out. All we can do is be there for Spike if and when he needs us. Come on Eddie let's go see if Curtis has been lucky with a name yet." Wordy tugged on Ed's arm until both men were striding purposefully toward Curtis.

They were almost to Curtis when Wordy's phone rang again. He looked at the caller id surprised "Bill?"

 _[Quickly Bill related "Kevin, I think I have a good lead for you. There is a Hewes Ocean Pro boat at Ashbridges Bay. It was seen entering the bay yesterday afternoon. It is currently docked near the Lion's Club. The name on the boat is Claremont."]_

Wordy said thanks and hung up then started running to the SUV as he called out over the headset "We have a possible location of the boat. We need to get to Ashbridges Bay now." The rest of Team One, all of Team Two and Connor McGillie headed to SUVs.

Wordy supplied them with the rest of the details. Curtis began to pull up the registry on the Claremont to see who owned the craft. Five SUVs were on the road with lights flashing and sirens blaring in less than one minute.

* * *

 _ **House in the Woods – Video Room Upstairs**_

Vlad had reached the video room quickly. He just had to see that again. Zhang came in as he was watching for the third time and he ignored him. Vlad paused the video in the moment Sam freed himself from his bonds. He zoomed in on his face and concentrated on his eyes. The depth of emotion conveyed in those eyes was astounding. Those eyes roared primal rage. He needed to print a photo.

Zhang knew better than to interrupt his Master. He waited silently wondering just how his Master would proceed. He noticed his Master had not bothered to change yet, gross. He heard the printer turn on and watched as an image was printed. His master picked it up and stared at it a long time.

Setting down the photo on the table Vlad's mind whirled. This was a wholly unexpected result. Usually he was just satisfied with seeing the emotions resulting from the betrayal. But it was such a rush being so close to that primeval rage. He needed to elicit that rage again from Sam again.

How to do it and keep himself alive was the question of the hour. If Zhang had not tasered Sam he would have been dead for sure. He drummed his fingers on the table. He would need some time to think on it and plan properly.

Just now recognizing that he had wet himself he grabbed the photo and headed towards his bedroom to change. On his way out of the video room Vlad ordered "Zhang, take them some food and water and supplies to tend the wounds. I think I'm gonna keep this pair around a while longer."

Not for the first time Zhang privately thought his Master was more than a touch crazy. But he answered quickly "Yes Master" and hurried out to do as bidden.

As he gathered the supplies, twenty-two year old Zhang massaged his neck where the collar tended to rub him raw. God he hated this thing. He had been with Master now for fifteen years and hated every minute of wearing it.

He always did as told but there were more and more days now he wished Master had not picked him up out of the gutter. Days he wished he was free of this damned collar. But freedom was not to be his, Master had saved his life as a little boy and now he was owned by him.

Zhang knew what would happen if he tried to remove the collar or refused to do as told. He had seen the horrible things that happened to those that did not comply. Master was vicious.

Part of him wondered how he had survived earlier today when he had told the Master that the girlfriend seemed to be playing both men. She spent time alone with each of them. Although she only ever let Sam stay overnight or spent the night at Sam's place. And to boot, she was their teammate. He couldn't believe he forgot to write those things down.

As he made two ham sandwiches for the pair downstairs he thought it wasn't much of a life but at least he was still living. He might actually make it another day.

* * *

 _ **House in the Woods - Basement**_

Sam had felt as the electrodes darts were yanked out of his chest. Lost in a haze of agony he had no concept of time as he stared at a single spot on the ceiling completely immobile. The pain was excruciating as aftershocks continued to ripple up and down his nerves and muscles.

The adrenaline had all dissipated and he was crashing. As hard as he tried he was rapidly losing his ability to control the pain. His training was failing him now and he could not make his mind go someplace happy. He could not seem to disassociate himself and had to endure the pain.

Sam heard soft, low whimpers of pain and vaguely wondered who they were coming from. He thought it might be Spike. He needed to check on Spike. He strove to move but failed as agony consumed him. It was then he realized the whimpers were actually coming from him.

The torment, both physical and emotional, coupled with blood loss became too much for him. His body and mind retreated as his eyes rolled back into his head and Sam plunged into sweet oblivion.

Spike was shaking his head trying to clear it. Crap his head hurt. He reached his hand up to the side of his head and pressed gingerly. It was a little wet. He brought his fingers to his face. Blood. No wonder it hurt.

Then he realized something was different. He tried hard to cut through the groggily feeling to figure it out. Then it dawned on him, his hand was free. He moved the other and it was free too. He tried his feet and also unbound. He looked to the other chair to see if Sam was free too. It was empty. Why?

Spike carefully turned his head and saw Sam bleeding and unconscious on the floor. Everything came back in a rush. He tried to stand but sudden rush of vertigo and wobbly legs sent him to his knees. Instead of trying to stand again he crawled to Sam.

Checking Sam's pulse he found it thready and a bit erratic. How many fucking times had that bastard shocked him? He scanned his body doing a quick assessment. The most critical thing was the gunshot wound.

Blood was slowly pooling near his upper thigh. Thank god it didn't hit the femoral artery or Sam would have already bled out. But he needed to stop the bleeding. Spike anxiously looked around for something to staunch the bleeding. His eyes landed on their shirts, those would have to do.

Spike debated for only a second whether to leave Sam where he was on the cold floor or move him to the mattress. Gaining his feet he crouched a bit unsteadily at Sam's head waiting for the dizziness to subside. Then Spike dipped his hands under Sam's shoulders and through his armpits and pulled Sam towards the mattress. After a few tries he managed to get Sam settled on the mattress.

Grabbing his t-shirt he folded it into a small thick square then did the same with Sam's tee. He threaded Sam's uniform shirt under his thigh and placed one of the folded tees at the back and on top of the wound. Then he tied the sleeves together pulling tightly to create a pressure bandage of sorts. It was the best he could do right now.

Ripping one arm of his uniform shirt off Spike made his way to the sink using the wall as support. On the way there he saw the cup used earlier and picked it up. He wet the sleeve in the sink and filled the cup. He swished the water around in his mouth and spat it out. Then he repeated that a few times to remove the cotton mouth feeling.

Spike took a long drink and refilled the cup. When he got back to the mattress he began to carefully wash the blood from Sam's face. Then Spike washed the deep cuts in his wrist and ankles that were made when Sam broke the plastic ties.

Christ how had he done that, especially in his current physical state? Spike had only ever heard Sam roar like that once before; just before Qasim attacked him in the tunnel. That look in Sam's eyes scared the ever living crap out of him. He would never want to be on the receiving end of that look. Vlad would have been dead had Sam not been shocked into unconsciousness.

Overwhelmed at his brother's precarious state Spike softly said aloud "Awe shit Sam, you look like crap buddy. You need proper medical care. I have no idea how bad the gunshot wound is buddy. Stay with me please. You said you could handle it. I need you to be Samtastic and fight. You gotta fight to stay for me and Jules. Okay, you hear me, you fight dammit."

Spike wished he could do more to take care of Sam. He worried about infection setting in. He was about to rip strips from the bottom of his shirt to wrap the deep cuts to protect them when the door opened. He froze. Were they coming back to end it now? He was shocked when the man set something down on the top landing then closed the door and locked it again.

Moving carefully and slowly because his head pounded and he was still dizzy Spike headed for the stairs. Leaning heavily on the railing for support he climbed to the top. There was a bag. He peered in and could not believe his eyes. He took the bag and made his way down the stairs and over to Sam.

He pulled out the medical supplies and set to work properly cleaning and dressing all Sam's wounds starting with the gunshot wound. It took him nearly forty minutes to complete his tasks on Sam.

Then he addressed his own wounds. From the feel of it, the gash on his head probably needed stitches. It wouldn't do for either of them to get infections if it could be prevented. So he poured some of the antiseptic into his wound. It burned like hell and he gritted his teeth not wanting to yell out in pain. He repeated it a second time then held a piece of gauze to it and applied pressure for several minutes. Luckily the bleeding stopped.

Exhausted physically and mentally he sat with his back to the wall. He gazed at Sam, he was in dreadful shape. Sam had lost a lot of blood. Even though he had been able to get the bleeding stopped for the most part, Sam needed care.

Spike pulled his knees close and laid his head on his arms across his knees. What the hell was he going to do? How the hell was he going to get them out of here? He prayed the team would find them soon, before time ran out for them.

Rolling up the remainder of his uniform shirt Spike lay down on the mattress. He was tired, so tired. Knowing it was not good to go to sleep with a head wound he told himself he would just rest here a minute.

As he lay resting he thought Sam and Jules were perfect for each other. He couldn't believe he had missed the signs of them as a couple. It didn't matter to him they kept it secret; he understood why they did so. The team was family and they did not want to break up the family.

Spike's last thought before succumbing to sleep was that if he and Sam got out of this alive he would keep their secret.


	9. No Leads, Fever, Spike's Orders & Sergei

**No Leads, Fever, Spike's Orders & Sergei**

* * *

 ** _Ashbridges Bay_**

In Jules mind it had taken too long to get here. She stepped out of the SUV that the Boss had driven to see the tape already roping off an area that contained a boathouse and a dock just beyond. She recognized the boat moored at the dock. She started forward with Greg, Wordy and Ed.

As they approached the tape Greg called out to a small group of patrol officers "Who is in charge here?"

An older patrol officer stepped forward "I was first on scene. Put the tape up to keep scene from getting contaminated. No one has ventured in since I arrived. I had a couple of the officers hold a few folks that were here when I arrived. Thought you might need to talk to them. They are being kept over there." The officer pointed to a group of people off to the left.

Nodding Greg said "Good work. Jules you are with me we'll interview. Ed, Wordy work with the Interpol CSI agents see what you can find out."

Sergeant Bradley came up to them just then and said "I'll have my guys canvas the surrounding area. See if we can find any other leads."

Ed asked "Did Curtis get a name of the owner for the boat?"

Connor and Curtis joined them at that moment and Curtis answered "Yeah, his name is Grant Weatherby. He said he hasn't been to the docks in over two weeks. He's been away in Calgary on a business trip for the last week and is not expected back in Toronto until next week. He is single and informed me that he didn't give any friends permission to use the boat while he was gone."

Jules asked "Does his alibi check out?"

Nodding yes Curtis answered "I spoke to his manager and the clients he was meeting in Calgary. They all confirmed he has been there the whole time. In fact one of the clients said a group of them were with Weatherby yesterday from noon until well past two am."

With the owner of the boat being a dead lead the group broke up to search, investigate and interview. Connor joined Jules and Greg to interview the people the officer had detained. In the end, none of the eight bystanders could provide any information that appeared to be useful. No one saw or heard anything out of the ordinary yesterday.

Bradley's team struck out too. It was a fairly remote location. Curtis found no security cameras trained on the area of this back dock, the boathouse or the parking area around the Lion's Club.

Wordy could see why the Black Dragons would use this bay for their activities and spoke with his friend Bill again. But Gangs and Gangs was not able to help any further. Their surveillance cameras were focused on the entrance of the bay and the Yacht club docks on the other side. It had only by the thinnest thread of luck they had captured video of the boat entering the bay on their tapes.

Ed and Wordy mostly observed as the CSI agents meticulously combed for evidence in the boat, the dock and the boathouse. They found blood, vomit and a bloody metal shard on the floor of the boat. A slew of fingerprints had been lifted from the boat too; including a bloody one from a bottle of vodka. In the boathouse they found a blood smear on a crate near a small amount of blood on the ground. All had been rushed off for processing.

By the late afternoon Jules, Greg, Ed and Wordy were tired, frustrated, and terribly concerned. They had no leads. They were back to waiting. Waiting was hard for all of them. They were used to moving, executing and resolving things quickly. Whoever planned this gave them little or nothing to immediately act upon.

Greg suggested the team should head back to SRU Headquarters. Connor agreed and asked if it could become the command post so he could have information found at all scenes routed to him there. Greg contacted Commander Holleran and he agreed setting up the briefing room as the command post.

With nothing left to do at Ashbridges Bay and no leads to chase down a dejected Team One plus Connor McGillie headed back to SRU HQ.

* * *

 ** _SRU HQ – Briefing Room_**

After a very late dinner of pizza and sodas that had been delivered, the team and Connor sat quietly each reviewing details that were coming in from the various locations. Frustration was mounting. Absolutely nothing useful to find Sam's and Spike's current location had surfaced yet.

Team Two had gone home long ago. They had wanted to stay and help after shift but Bradley ordered them to go home. Ed and Greg had backed him up. Given the fact they had nothing to go on and SRU was down one team now, Team Two was back to normal duty tomorrow. No one wanted Team Two to be exhausted for their normal shift, bad things could happen if they were. So reluctantly they had all left.

Corporal Cassandra Xenos had been recalled to Ottawa but according to General Braddock she would be available if the team needed her assistance. The General asked to be kept informed knowing that with Interpol in charge they would have the access to information and databases if needed. Before she left, Cassie had reported out to them that unfortunately none of the satellites had been in a position to provide any useful details.

Jules put down the latest report that had been given to her. Ed and Wordy looked up at her when she pushed back from the table and went to stand by the window looking out. They noticed that her face was drawn and tight. They heard as she blew out a breath understanding she was trying hard to maintain control, as they all were.

She turned to them "That was the report on the identities of the two bodies found at the fishery. They were twenty-four year old Kwon Shoi-Ming and nineteen year old Pedro Ramos. Both were local criminals. Kwon had a string of assault charges and a few petty robberies going back six years. Pedro Ramos had numerous drug possession charges, one mugging charge as a juvenile and was thought to be a member of the Southside gang."

Greg asked "Doesn't sound like there is much of a connection between them."

"None that the Interpol agents have found and none that I can see either. They didn't live in the same part of the city. Their rap sheets are so different. I've racked my brain and cannot come up with a single thing that connects them, other than they are both petty criminals and were in the fishery" Jules stated the frustration and exhaustion both evident in her voice and posture.

Connor had watched this team work all day. He was thoroughly impressed with their dedication and insights but he felt their frustration and completely understood. Sam and Spike were not strangers to them as they were to him, they were friends and teammates.

He sighed and offered "Perhaps they were not connected in any tangible way. Until now I only suspected the Anagram Killer might have accomplices but we never had anything real to go on, just supposition."

Rising from his chair and stretching his back Connor said "The only thing I can come up with is that they may have been motivated by money. For the Anagram Killer to move from country to country he has to have access to money. And lots of it given the details we found at all the scenes. My agents are trying to follow the financial trail right now but it seems as much a dead end as everything else we've run across because we have no names to actually follow. But I'm thinking that the Anagram Killer hired local criminals with the promise of a huge payoff in order to pull off the abduction."

Ed smirked "Yeah some payoff. A bullet to the head. But I tend to agree with you. He would've have needed help to set up all those locations. But would not want to leave any lose ends. So they were expendable and they never even knew it. I'm wondering if they and the man in custody are the only ones or if there are more. Has anyone been able to get anything out of him yet?"

Connor shook his head "No, not a single word. It is like the guy is mute. He appears to be deathly afraid of whoever he is working for. He's being held in solitary right now under suicide watch just in case. Also I've been told that the Ottawa office is sending in their best two interrogators. According to Gabby at the Ottawa office they have an extremely high success rate with getting perps to talk. They have a style that just seems to work and get the job done. They should be here late tomorrow."

Ed asked "Why so long?"

Connor grimaced "They had to locate them first. They thought one was in Barbados and the other in Hawaii. Their office said they were both on vacation and they had held off contacting them since neither usually took vacations. But since we have no other leads they contacted both to see if either was willing to come and help. They were not in the locations they had indicated for emergency contact forms."

Rolling his shoulders trying to release some tension Connor continued "A few hours ago they finally tracked them both down in a small bed and breakfast in Scotland. Gabby said they were thunderstruck to find out they were together and on their honeymoon. But once Pat squared heard the reason they were needed they immediately agreed to come directly here."

The team was a bit stunned Jules said "They were on their honeymoon? And what did you mean Pat squared?"

An amused look crossed Connor's face "Yeah that got me too so I asked. Gabby lives up to her name and gave me all the details without much prompting."

Walking to the windows and leaning against one he said "Pat squared is what their office calls them; Patrick Downs and Patricia Emerson. They both go by Pat, hence Pat squared. They have partnered for the past nine years. No one had a clue they were dating or involved in any way."

Connor turned and looked out the window and finished "Apparently they went off to elope and planned to keep the marriage secret too. They didn't want to stop working together. Guess their secret is out now. I just hope the ramifications are not too harsh for them; especially since they work so well together."

Needing a mental break from the evidence Connor remained at the window staring at the city lights. His mind wandered to his wife. Well ex-wife actually. She never could put up with the hours he put into the job. She didn't understand what drove him. Maybe if he had married someone in law enforcement or more like minded his marriage would have worked out.

Unknown to Connor, at the mention of a teammate relationship everyone at the table immediately thought of Sam and Jules. But each had a different thought.

Greg thought it was a shame that he had to break them up. He could tell that had been hard on both of them. But they had gotten over it and moved on and become good friends. Greg was glad they were able to remain friends because that meant the family could stay together. He would have hated to lose either of them over that.

And after Toth it was a condition. It was a good thing it was over because Toth would not hesitate to rip his team apart. Just what the hell was he thinking in asking for and bringing in outside assessment? He had not foreseen his team being on probation as an end result of Toth's assessment.

Greg looked at Jules. It was good that Sam and Jules relationship was over. Wasn't it? Yes! It was a good thing. They had a great friendship now. Unknown to him a small seed of doubt planted itself in a dark corner of his mind. It would grow slowly, very slowly.

Ed recalled the pain his words had caused Sam. He had worked very hard since then at watching what and how he said things to Sam to ensure he never triggered his underlying insecurities again. He had a few slip ups but Sam and him had established a very good understanding of each other now. Well as good as either one could, both of them were enigmas at times.

Over the years they had built a trust that allowed Sam to open up to him when things were bothering him or to ask for help if absolutely necessary. Sam hated to ask for help or be seen as weak and only allowed a select few he trusted to see that side of him. So Ed fully understood that trust was a gift Sam bestowed carefully and it was valued deeply by him.

Sometimes he thought that although it was so painful and nearly cost Sam his life that whole situation had more good than bad come from it. He looked at Jules. Her vulnerability was showing today too. She didn't look like she slept last night.

A small thought lodged itself unseen and unannounced in Ed's subconscious mind. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe Jules and Sam needed each other. Forcing them apart might be wrong. Maybe they were the exception to the rule and could handle a relationship and the team at the same time and not put anyone at risk.

Wordy sighed thinking that Sam and Jules still looked like they would be the perfect couple. Jules was the only one Sam went to for comfort. He saw after every lethal shot that Sam sought out Jules or Jules sought him out. It always appeared professional to a causal observer. But he saw the gentle way Jules would look at him and catch his eye. It was like a promise she was there for him and knew what he needed.

The night they found Sam at Matt's grave after the Langley Towers call Jules was able to get through to him. Without her they would have lost him for sure that night. Sam had latched onto her voice like a life line and would not let go. Sam's head in her lap and her hand stroking his hair was so touching.

Sam had the same effect on Jules. When she lost a subject or a suicide Sam was usually able to calm Jules with a word or a touch. He had occasionally seen Sam slip into the women's locker room after extremely tough calls that sent Jules storming from the briefing room. Jules always exited in more control. Sam always seemed a little stiff and sore afterwards and sometimes supported a bruise or two.

These were observations he kept strictly to himself not even sharing with Shel. A small part of him wished that Sam and Jules would defy the rules again and get together. They both needed someone to care for them. If they ever did and he found out he decided right here and now he would keep it a secret. He glanced at Jules. She was trying valiantly to hold it together but he could see the cracks forming.

What would happen to her if they lost Sam and Spike? Would she ever be the same spitfire? Greg had shared with them how she had become nearly catatonic after the bomb blast yesterday. He was just as worried for Jules as she was for the guys. He would insist she come home with him tonight.

Jules wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. So she and Sam were not the only ones having to follow their hearts secretly because of a job they did well and rules that conflicted with what their souls needed. She was happy that Pat squared had acted on it. She hoped they would be able to continue to work together. Maybe their work record would be proof enough that what Pat and Pat did in their off hours had no bearing on their work.

Her mind started slipping towards private thoughts of Sam and she slammed the door hard on them. She had to focus now. They were Sam and Spike's only hope of being found alive. She could not and would not allow her vulnerable side to interfere with her right now. Sam needed her to be strong.

Wordy checked his watch and found it was near ten pm. He had been so focused he had forgotten to call Shel and tell the girls good night. He felt bad but he knew they would understand. Shel especially since she now knew they were searching for Sam and Spike. He was about to suggest they head home for the night when another Interpol courier arrived.

Greg signed for it and opened the package. He looked it over and his facial expression told them they would not like the information. Greg cleared his throat then started "Rush results on some of the evidence from both scenes."

Looking at his team he shared "The blood on the fishery dock is Sam's. As is most of the blood on the floor of the boat. The stomach contents are his too. The blood on the metal shard and vodka bottle in the boat belong to Spike. As does the blood on the crate and ground in the boathouse."

Despite all the bravado of her mental speeches of staying strong Jules found her knees go weak when it was reported that the blood found was Sam's and Spike's. The blood and vomit worried her "Do you think it was a head wound? I mean we all know how nauseated Sam gets when hit on the head. He's had too damned many concussions. He would need proper care if it is a concussion. And Spike? Where was he hit with the shard? Could be serious."

Greg was out of his chair and to Jules in an instant as he saw her go white and her knees start to buckle. He guided her to a chair and sat her down. Wordy jumped up to get a bottle of water, uncapping it and gently wrapping her hands around it as he softly said "Sip slowly. You haven't eaten or drank enough today Jules. There's nothing more we can do tonight. I'm taking you home with me."

She started to protest wanting very much to be alone so she could cry her eyes out right about now but Wordy became stern "I'm not taking no for an answer Jules. You stayed with Greg last night. Tonight it's my place. Let's go."

Jules nodded slightly. She really did want to cry but more of her didn't want to be alone, especially in her home. If she went home she would breakdown completely.

Sam was in every nook and cranny in her home. It would be hours of torture being there without him. Without knowing how or where he was. That's why last night when Greg was driving her home and he offered for her to stay with him she had accepted.

Ed watched as Greg and Wordy helped Jules up and out of the room, his mind on fire. His guys were out there injured and in need of help and he had no fucking clue where they were. He grabbed the papers Greg had been reviewing. He noted one other piece of evidence. The fingerprint on the vodka bottle had been identified.

Turning to Connor who was the only other one left in the room no he said "I sure hope Pat squared are good because Saul Rodriguez was on that boat. His prints are on the bloody vodka bottle. He might be the only way we find my guys."

Ed stood, walked to the window and handed the report over to Connor. "I'm heading home. I'll see you back here at five am. Do you need a ride?"

Connor looked up from the report "No. I'll call a cabbie when I'm ready to go. Have several more things I need to go over. Thanks for the offer though." Ed nodded and headed out.

Reading the report Connor started to feel a small glimmer of hope again. His hope of finding them alive had dwindled all day long when no clue was forth coming. The first forty-eight hours were the most critical in finding a kidnap victim alive and they were rapidly approaching that time limit.

He agreed with Ed. He hoped Pat squared were good. If they were able to break the man and get useful information from him he would go to bat for them with their bosses. He delved into the evidence reviewing everything again.

Connor was pulled from his thoughts when another SRU team returned from a call. He watched them walk passed. Body language said it wasn't a good ending. One man turned into the briefing room.

"Hi, I'm Dale. Anything new on Sam and Spike?" Dale asked.

Shaking his head no Connor replied "No, no solid leads." He was expecting a downcast reaction. He was unprepared for the one he got.

Dale smiled and said "Well then I guess Samtastic is just gonna have to dust off his Badass Jr. training and get their asses back here without our help then."

"Badass Jr. training?" Connor asked confused.

Laughing slightly Dale said "Yeah. Sam's dad is General Braddock, known as General Badass. Hence the Jr. Badass. Although I'm damned sure Sam is more badass than his dad ever was. People should never underestimate him. I'm a bit scared for the people that took Sam and Spike. I wouldn't want to be them. Sam takes a licking and always comes back stronger and better."

The name Braddock that had seemed so familiar finally clicked into place. He had worked with Air Force Colonel Ryan Braddock several years ago on a case concerning several dead RCAF pilots found in Manchester. He was brother to a General William Braddock who was in charge of Canada's Special Forces.

So Sam was related to those Braddock's. He was the son of the General. Now it made sense why a Special Forces liaison officer had been sent to the party today. It was more about helping his son than any potential threat to national security. He would chalk that up to a protective father, he liked the man already from just that one act.

Connor spent some time talking to Dale about Sam and Spike. He learned about both of them. The more he learned the more his became personally invested in finding them. These were good men. Just like the thirty other men that died at the hand of this killer.

When Dale left he went back to the files. He needed to find something to give them a lead. Rubbing his eyes and yawning he checked his watch one am. He should really get a few winks of shut eye otherwise he was gonna make a real dog's dinner out of this case. He called a cab then went outside to wait for it.

* * *

 ** _House in the Woods - Basement_**

His head was pounding and he was so tired. Why couldn't his pa just let him sleep? Why all the yelling? Spike shifted on his bed ignoring his pa's yelling in favor of more sleep and thought for the hundredth time he really needed to invest in a new bed. One that was softer and larger than a twin sized one.

His pa would not stop yelling. He was so tired and he really didn't want to fight with him right now. But he couldn't take anymore yelling it was making his head throb. Spike pushed himself up on the bed and yelled back "Pa I'm up. I'm up. You can quit yelling now. I'll be there in a minute."

Spike opened his eyes and reality came crashing in as his eyes focused on his surroundings. He was not at home in his bed. Instead he was in a crappy basement on a gross mattress. His head was actually throbbing and he was tired but it was not his pa yelling at him to get up. It was Sam yelling.

No not yelling, terrified screaming. Sam was thrashing about screaming 'no don't shoot him, shoot me, shoot me, not him, please not him'. Moving to his knees he watched as Sam was held in the grip of a nightmare. He wanted desperately to wake him and stop the nightmare. But he knew better than to reach out and touch him.

When startled awake Sam could be deadly if not aware of his location or he felt threatened. Jim and Blaze had warned them all Sam could kill instantly in those situations and not to touch him. They said he always choose fight over flight. Spike didn't have a death wish so instead he yelled trying to cut through the nightmare and wake Sam.

After what felt like an eternity Spike broke through to Sam and a little relief washed over Spike as Sam stilled and quieted. Sitting back on his haunches his shoulders slumping as the tension released Spike looked at his watch. No way. It felt like only a few minutes ago he lay down to rest a bit but more than twenty-four hours had passed.

Looking at the watch Sam gave him last Christmas he stared at the date as well as the time. Unless their captors were playing a joke and reset his watch it was actually two pm the following day.

Soft whimpers of pain and movement brought Spike's eyes from his watch back to Sam. He moved forward on his knees quickly toward Sam. Crap.

Sam's face was flushed and beaded with sweat. "Sam I'm going to touch you buddy okay. It's just me Spike. Just gonna touch your forehead. I'm not going to hurt you."

He reached out his hand tentatively to Sam's forehead praying Sam heard him in some way and did not attack. He felt the heat radiating off him several inches before actually making contact. Sam was burning up with fever. Crap, so not good.

Spike grabbed one of their tees and as quickly as possible made his way to the sink. He rinsed the blood out watching the bright red water turn to pink as he soaked the tee and squeezed the water out over and over.

Getting back to Sam he ripped it into several rags. He placed one behind Sam's neck and draped another over his forehead. Spike took a third piece and began to wipe Sam's sweat drenched face and body trying to cool him down.

"Hey buddy, can you hear me? Are you with me?" Spike softly crooned.

He was hoping to get a yes response. All he got was more soft groans and whimpers. Seeing the cup near him a few things entered his head. He was thirsty and hungry. If he was thirsty then Sam had to be thirsty. Sam was sweating so much he would dehydrate quickly. He needed to get Sam to drink something.

Leaving the wet rags on Sam he picked up the cup and headed back to the sink. He dumped out the left over pink tinged water from cleaning the wounds yesterday and rinsed out the cup. He filled and drank two full cups of water then refilled it a third time and made his way back to Sam. Damn his head would not stop throbbing.

He knelt down again and took a moment for his head to quit hammering. Setting the cup off to the side Spike reached down and gently lifted Sam a bit. As he placed the cup to Sam's lips and tipped it allowing a small trickle of water to enter his mouth he said "I need you to drink a bit for me Sam. Just a bit."

At first the water just dribbled out of his mouth and down his chin. Spike sighed with relief when he saw Sam actually begin to swallow the water. "Good. That's good buddy."

As Sam's head tried to turn away he said "Sam I need you to drink more. Come on. You're burning up and you lost a lot of blood. You need to drink."

There was resistance and moans from Sam but Spike did not give up. He tried a new tactic as more and more water dribbled out rather than being swallowed "Sam, you need to drink. Jules says you need to drink. Can you drink for Jules?" A small pleased smile settled on Spike's face as Sam started swallowing again.

Satisfied Sam had taken in enough water for the moment he gently lowered his head to the mattress again. For the next several hours he alternately made Sam take small sips of water and bathed Sam's face, neck, arms and chest with cool water.

But regardless of his ministrations it was not enough. He could tell the fever was rising. Infection had set in.

Spike's stomach rumbled and he felt so drained. Then he remembered the bag that had the medical supplies. He dumped it out and rummaged through the items looking for a fever reducer. None was to be found as he had expected but he had to look anyways. But he did see the sandwiches.

He opened one and took a bite. He slowly chewed, his jaw ached. His mind was working looking at the medical supplies and the food. It appeared to him that their captors did not want them dead just yet. Otherwise they would not have bothered with providing the supplies and food.

But they had some reason for taking and keeping them and would unlikely let them go until they got whatever it was they were seeking. The ransom maybe.

He took a chance on assuming. He could be wrong that they wanted to keep them alive but what could it hurt. They could die but that was already a high possibility and more so for Sam if he didn't get help soon.

Spike looked directly at one of the cameras his face firmly set he demanded loudly "He's gonna die if I can't get this fever down. Bring me something to bring it down NOW."

The disembodied voice of Vlad rang in the basement as he replied "You are in no position to demand anything."

Spike replied "The hell I'm not. If you wanted him dead you would have killed him already."

Laughter pealed through the room. Spike located the speaker and he seethed at the laughter and anger roiled to the surface as Vlad said "Perhaps I just want to witness a slow painful drawn out death."

From where, he did not know, Spike channeled a voice that oozed danger and contempt as he calmly replied "I will not allow that to happen. I will kill him myself before I allow him to suffer a death like that. Then I will seek you out and kill you slowly and painfully, you son of a bitch. So you damned well better bring me something to get this fever down and something for his pain too. Liquid form, because he is in no shape to swallow pills."

Spike was pulled back to Sam as he whimpered in pain and became restless again. Dipping the rag into the water again he leaned down close to Sam's ear as he wiped his brow. Damn Sam was in bad shape, he was delirious with fever and in so much pain he could tell.

Barely whispering his voice compassionate but still demanding "Sorry buddy, no idea where Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry came from. You know I could never kill you. You need to hang on and fight this. You can do this. I've seen you fight in the past. A little fever and gunshot is nothing for you."

He was rewarded with Sam's eyes opening. They were bright with fever and unfocused but at least they were open. Still whispering softly he said "That's it buddy. Show me Samtastic is in the house."

For one second Spike thought that he saw lucidity in Sam's eyes. Like he heard him through the haze of the fever and pain he had to be feeling. Coming down from his adrenaline rush Spike hid his shaky hands by keeping them busy wringing out the rags and wiping Sam down.

He was wondering how his ultimatum had been received, especially since there had been no response not even a laugh. Spike reached down and lifted Sam's head again and offered more to drink. Sam took a bit more and Spike was glad to see his eyes were still open even though they were not focused. He lowered his head again and then dipped a rag in the water and let the water dibble on his forehead.

Sam wrenched his face away and groaned in pain the movement caused. A low barely audible whimper said "No, no more waterboarding. No."

Spike froze. Oh god he had forgotten. Leaning close again he whispered "I'm sorry buddy, no more water in the face."

The look of lucidity was back as Sam said "Spike?"

"Yeah it's me buddy. Hang on." Spike said as he wrung out the cloth so no water dripped and wiped his face again.

"Where?" Sam got out.

Spike replied "Do you remember our Queen's suite?"

Struggling to talk Sam answered "Yeah. What happened?" But a thought came to mind and fear washed over Sam's face as he said "Did he shoot you? You okay?"

His voice saddened Spike answered "No. He shot you though. Beat the crap out of you and shocked you multiple times. And to top it all off you've got a raging fever."

Then trying to lighten the mood Spike rattled off "Just another typical day in the field for you huh. What ya think you need at least one day's sick leave to recover."

It was clear to Spike that Sam didn't hear or register his attempt at humor and his mind was elsewhere when he saw the defeat, shame and hurt expressed in Sam's eyes. Roughly and a bit raspy Sam said "If he didn't shoot you then you know I betrayed you. I betrayed Jules too."

Sam turned his head away and closed his eyes unable to watch Spike reject him again as he continued speaking his peace "I'm sorry I had to lie to you. I wish things could be different and I didn't have to lie to those I care most about. I know you can never forgive me for betraying our trust. Get yourself out of here. I'll just hold you back. Just leave me alone to die. I deserve it for my betrayal."

Shocked at Sam's words Spike's mouth was agape. Sam thought he betrayed him. That he wouldn't forgive him something like that. Sam thought he should die because of it.

Oh hell no! This must be the fever talking. He was going to disabuse him of those thoughts now. Sam had to get rid of those thoughts in order to fight to hang on until help arrived.

Pulling Sam's face back to him Spike said ardently "Open your eyes now Braddock." He waited until Sam complied.

Spike let loose on Sam "Let's get one thing straight here. I made you a promise years ago to never let go. I'm not starting now. Your secret about Jules is safe with me. There is nothing to forgive. I understand you did what was necessary because others will not be so accepting. We can talk about it after we get out of here alive, together. We go together or we don't go. You are too important to me. To a lot of people."

Sam's eyes started to lose focus and Spike hurriedly said with command authority "I'm giving you a direct order Braddock. You will fight, you will live. You are more than just my friend. Now and always. You will fight for your life. Got that."

Just as Sam's eyes slipped closed he breathed out "Copy."

Spike sat on his heels staring a moment at Sam's closed eyes. Dammit Sam, you better follow my order I can't take losing another brother.

He rewet the rag and wrung it out and wiped his face and forehead and down each arm then across his chest and behind his neck. It was a pattern he repeated over and over while his mind silently begged Team One to find them soon.

* * *

 ** _House in the Woods – Video Room Upstairs_**

Vlad watched utterly transfixed by this pair. None of this came close to what he experienced with the other pairs. He couldn't hear a lot of what was exchanged because they spoke too softly. But the body language and gestures were very telling. Spike cared a great deal about his partner.

He was partly angered and partly intrigued that the betrayal he had read yesterday was not evident in the way Spike behaved toward Sam today. He had watched for hours as Spike had silently ministered to Sam. What was the driver for that behavior?

When he first started watching today he had formed the opinion that it was just a cop doing his duty. Cops tended not to stand by and let people die. So he thought that was the reason. But as the hours wore on he saw concern increasing and the careful way he handled his partner.

Then that outburst demanding medicine came out of the blue. Whoa that surprised him. He almost believed Spike when he said he would kill him first. But he knew the man didn't have it in him to kill Sam in cold blood. Something in the eyes told him that and the way he was caring for him and begging him to hang on. He still needed to decide if he would chance sending Zhang out to get antibiotics and pain meds.

Vlad wondered why Spike had spent nearly ten minutes yelling at Sam to rouse him instead of just shaking his shoulder or slapping his face to bring him out of his nightmare. Vlad smiled. He caused Sam to have a nightmare. But why did Spike react different than most people would when someone was having a nightmare?

The reaction to the water dripping on Sam's face was also strange. Spike's face looked so guilty and pained after Sam jerked away and mouthed something he could not hear. Since then Spike had been extra careful to make sure all cloths were wrung out completely so they did not drip on his face.

All of that plus now he just heard Sam apologize for betraying and lying to Spike and telling him to leave him to die. That had been fun to watch. But the very last of it when Spike laid into Sam and ordered him to live; it just could not get any more surprising to him.

He rolled back the video to Sam's apology and started watching again. Too good. Then came Spike's declaration. Vlad heard something he had missed before. Secret. He rolled it back a few seconds then clearly heard Spike say 'Your secret about Jules is safe with me'.

Vlad rubbed his hands together. Could this be more twisted than he thought? Did Zhang in his ignorance of the world miss something big? He reviewed the notes again. All three seemed to spend equal amounts of time hanging out together. Was this a lover's triangle?

His twisted mind ran through things and rolled back the video to just after the Queen's suite statement. He saw the fear and concern when Sam asked 'did he shoot you?'. He listened and wrote down snippets of words they said.

 _Sam: You know I betrayed you. I had to lie to you. I wish things could be different. You can never forgive me for betraying our trust._

 _Spike: I made you a promise years ago to never let go. Nothing to forgive. You did what was necessary because others will not be so accepting. We go together. You are too important to me. You are more than just my friend. Now and always._

He drew a conclusion from those words. Jules was coming between Sam and Spike. Sam and Spike were a couple, not Sam and Jules or even Spike and Jules. Oh this was so damned good. How the hell did Zhang manage to find him exactly the pair of officers that would allow him to vent his fullest fury?

Pulling out his wallet he stared at Sergei and Alice. He sneered at the picture "Sergei you picked her over me. You picked that slut Alice over me. I always had your back. You were mine. I loved you more than she ever could. You were mine and that bitch took you away. You said you would always be mine. You promised me. I trusted you. But she comes along and you turn your back on me. You betrayed me for her."

Vlad looked back at the monitor watching Spike try to cool his partner. He yelled for Zhang and instructed him to go and find antibiotics and fever reducer and not to be gone for more than one hour.

Zhang nodded and turned to do as bidden when he heard something that scared the hell out of him. He stopped just outside the door unseen by Vlad and continued to listen.

Vlad's eyes never left the monitor as his mind completely snapped. He no longer saw Spike at all. His focus was solely on Sam as he said "Sergei I'm gonna keep you alive but you're gonna wish you were dead. Every day of your life will be nothing but torture. You will pay every day for betraying me and choosing Alice instead of me. I'm going to have so much fun ripping you to shreds emotionally and physically for your betrayal."


	10. Getting Meds, Jules Breaks & Found Them

**Getting Meds, Jules Breaks & Found Them **

* * *

_**Driving in Toronto**_

Zhang looked at the clock on the dashboard. He only had forty minutes left to get back to the house. Vlad had sent him out to get medicine but he had no clue where to get it without people asking unwanted questions.

He could only think of a few options. One he could try and rob a pharmacy. But he had no clue what type of medicine to get. Two he could go into a hospital and grab a doctor, nurse or tech and force them to give him what was needed. Neither was a good option; too much risk of getting caught. Too many people and cameras. Why did Master give him these hard jobs?

As he drove trying to figure out what to do he thought back on the last words he heard. It was so long ago but Master and Sergei were in love. Things were good back then. He got to do some fun things like they were a family. But then little over nine years ago Sergei stopped coming over and they stopped doing things together and things got real bad.

Master got real upset and started changing. The day he found out Sergei was dead was one of his most painful days. Sergei had been so nice to him and when he heard he was dead he had run to his room to cry. Master found him and had asked him why he was crying and he told him that he missed Sergei and it was sad he was dead. Master beat him within an inch of his life that day and told him to never say Sergei's name ever again or he would be dead too.

It was then they started moving from country to country. For a few years it was not too bad. He just hid in his room and buried his head under the pillows when he heard the men screaming in the basements. He had no clue what was going on but it never sounded good.

He had always been big for his age and when he was sixteen he was larger than most adults. That's when things went from bad to worse. Master started making him take part in what was going on in the basements. Every time he threw up or balked at doing what Master commanded him to do to the men he was beaten severely.

Zhang finally learned it was them or him. It wasn't much of a life but it was his life and he wanted to live. So he did exactly what the Master commanded. He no longer batted an eye at the sickening things he witnessed the Master do or was told to do.

Hearing Master refer to Sam as Sergei scared him so much. He felt bad for the man. He was going to be tortured but there was nothing he could do to stop it.

He stopped at a red light and checked the clock again. Where did the last fifteen minutes go? Crap he only had twenty-five minutes left. He needed to act now or Master would kill him too.

Zhang turned his head to the right. He smiled. Opportunity presented itself. He made a quick right turn and pulled into the mostly dark lot that had three vehicles in it. He watched as one man got out of a car. Perfect timing.

* * *

 _ **SRU HQ – Briefing Room**_

Ed was watching Jules closely, she looked like crap. There were dark circles under her eyes and they were lacking their normal spark. He had lost count the number of cups of coffee she had so far today as she continued to review evidence. She refused to take breaks other than quick trips to the restroom. He saw her shoulders slump further and further as they reviewed every report over and over but still found no direction.

He stood and went to Greg then whispered "We need to talk."

Greg looked up from the report about evidence found at the candy factory "Go on."

"Not here" Ed started out of the briefing room towards the locker room. Greg got up and followed. Wordy saw them leave and got up to follow. He threw Jules a quick glance seeing her still engrossed in the report she was reviewing. Jules was in a bad way, he was sure that was what Ed wanted to talk to Greg about.

Connor looked up from his report and watched the three men leave the room. He looked over at Jules. She looked about ready to crack wide open. He could see that all four were affected by their mates being missing but she more so than the three men.

His investigative gut told him it was not because she was a woman. Connor could see she cared so deeply for both of them as she drove herself hard reviewing all the reports. But he would confidently bet that one of them was more special than the other to her.

Connor noticed tightness around her eyes and a flash of deep anguish and longing anytime someone said Sam's name. It was always quickly hidden. Most people would never pick up on it. But to his trained eye it was like a blinking neon sign.

There was something more there. He got the feeling those two were more than just friends. He half wondered if it was a Pat squared situation between Sam and Jules.

He decided not to say a word to her about his suspicions. Mostly because it was not his place to say anything even if it were true. Partly because if he was wrong he didn't want her getting pissed off at him. Being on her bad side was not his goal.

Connor felt drawn to her in a fatherly way. His heart opened wide to her because Jules reminded him so much of his sweet Alice. Her ponytail and fierce determination so like Alice.

It still hurt so much losing Alice before she had a chance to really live. Sometimes he let his mind go off on flights of fancy making up a life for her. She died way too young. He missed her every day of his life.

Connor let his memories of his sweet daughter fill his head. Her last summer he knew she had enjoyed herself. For that he was eternally grateful. She had been ecstatic to get the summer internship at the Simon Janashia Museum in Georgia to complete her degree in Archaeology.

While there, Alice had fallen for a man that worked at the museum. He still remembered her gushing phone calls extolling the virtues of Sergei Kapanadze. Her mouth ran a mile a minute telling him all the places they planned visit and explore.

For Alice it was love at first sight and she became so girlish and giggly. He had laughed at that because his practical no-nonsense daughter had never been into normal girly fripperies. Her idea of a fun time was digging in the dirt finding old things. But she had softened with Sergei. It was nice to see her rounding out and exploring her feminine side that summer.

The last time he spoke with Alice she had excitedly told him she and Sergei's were just heading out to spend the weekend at a beach resort on the Black Sea. She had a friend of Sergei's snap a photo of her and Sergei and texted it to him. Her last words to him were _'Dad don't worry so much I'm a big girl now. I promise to call when we arrive. Love ya'_.

Connor pulled out his phone and accessed his photos finding the one she sent him that day. Her hair pulled up in a ponytail like always. She was wearing black shoes, faded gray jeans and a black sweater with her purse slung over her shoulder. Her smile was all bright and lit up her eyes as she gazed toward Sergei. Sergei was a handsome man nearing thirty. In this photo, Sergei looked as much in love with her as Alice was with him.

He wiped a tear away that escaped his eye. Her promised call never came. They never made it there. The phone call the next day from the local police shattered his heart. His sweet girl had died in a car crash along with Sergei. His brakes failed and they went off a cliff and the car burst into flames.

Glancing up at Jules again he saw her still totally focused on the report. Her focused look so like his Alice, even down to how she bit her lower lip.

Pulling himself together Connor checked his watch. Pat squared had been interviewing the suspect for an hour now. He hoped they would get a lead that would help find these men soon. He refocused back to the reports.

* * *

 _ **SRU HQ – Men's Locker Room**_

Checking to make sure no other teams were in the room first, Greg turned and looked at Ed "I know what you are going to say. We all know. Jules is not handling this well. She did not sleep at all the night she stayed with me. Wordy did she sleep last night?"

"No I do not think so. Shel sat with her until the wee hours this morning but Jules was unnaturally quiet" Wordy responded.

Pacing Ed said "We have to do something. I'm worried for her. She's gonna crash hard if we don't find a way to help her. After Lou I was worried and she wasn't this bad."

Wordy stated "This is totally different Eddie. With Lou we knew he died. But Sam and Spike are missing right now and at the mercy of a killer. We have no way of knowing if they are dead or alive. And with the Anagram Killer's MO if they are alive they are certainly being tortured. Those three are thick as thieves. They all hang out together a lot after hours. Her main supports are the ones that are missing. It's gotta be hardest on her."

Ed looked to Greg "When she stayed with you did she talk to you at all? Did she let you in?"

Rubbing his head briskly, his nervous habit in high gear Greg said "No. She wouldn't even allow a hug. It's like she has completely closed herself off. She is hyper-focused right now on finding them."

Stopping his pacing and staring hard at Greg then Wordy, Ed ground out "Brittle, she looks brittle. Like it will only take a small ping to break into a million pieces. What are we going to do? How can we help if she won't let us close?"

A soft fatherly look on his face Wordy said "I don't think Jules is going to let us in right now. Her damned father and brothers can be blamed for that. All we can do is stay close so we are there to catch her when the pieces finally break."

Pressing his lips tight into a grimace and shaking his head no Greg breathed out "No that's not all we can do. We can find Sam and Spike before she breaks. Before we all break."

"Dammit Greg, we have no fucking leads. How the hell do you think we are going to do that?" Ed yelled losing control. "I feel so fucking useless right now." Ed slammed his fist into the lockers several ltimes.

Anger was welling up in Greg too but he held it in better but his voice shook with emotion "I'm hoping Pat and Pat will get us a lead soon. We are running out of time. We need a miracle and soon."

Wordy wiped the single tear that escaped from his welled up eyes and said "Let's get back to Jules. One of us needs to be with her at all times."

All three nodded and then stowed their fears and concerns as best they could. They replaced their defeated expressions with ones of determination as they headed back to the briefing room.

* * *

 _ **Paramedic Sub-Station**_

Dave was heading toward the paramedic sub-station entrance and turned back "Hey Jim, Larry forgot to restock the emergency blankets before he raced out. I'm just gonna go grab some."

Jim laughed "I can't imagine why he forgot." Jim grabbed his lunch box from his car, closed and locked it as he headed toward the paramedic rig. He paid no attention to the van pulling into the lot.

Chuckling himself Dave called over his shoulder "Thanks for coming in to cover for him. I'm sure Theresa's gonna thank you big time."

"Least I could do. Larry covered for me when Heather went into labor. Happy to return the favor" Jim said putting his lunch box in the cab of the rig. Jim walked to the rear of the rig to do a quick inventory thinking of his family. He was about to get in when he felt hard metal pushed into his back.

Crap. He had truly let his training fall by the wayside. Jim felt like a complete fool being caught unaware as his thoughts had slipped to his lovely wife and children.

He was missing movie night with them, not that the kids were really old enough to watch them. It was just an excuse to all cuddle together on their large comfy couch. Heather had smiled, kissed him lightly and told him to go when Dave called and told him Larry had to leave because his first baby was about to be born.

Letting his earlier thoughts drop and focusing on the present Jim let out a slow breath. It was never a good thing to have a gun in your back but not something he didn't know how to handle.

He quickly assessed the situation and thought it was most likely some druggie looking for a quick fix. Calmly he said "Can I do something for you?"

Jim listened as a heavily accented voice said "I need something to bring down a fever and antibiotics." Then even though Vlad didn't tell him Zhang added "And painkillers, strong ones."

His mind turned over this information quickly. Not your typical druggie request. It sounded more like a gang member or other criminal that was shot and got infected. Jim decided he needed to stall for time to figure out the best way to handle this situation.

So Jim said "Okay. Well I have several things that might work but I need to know a bit about the patient because it will depend on what is wrong as to what will work. Can you tell me about the patient and why they need these things?"

Zhang was nervous. He didn't expect the man to ask questions. He responded "Just give me something. Doesn't matter what."

Sensing the nervousness Jim countered "Oh but it does. You see I have this buddy and he is allergic to lots of antibiotics. If I give him the wrong one he could die. Same with painkillers. Some work well, some just trip him out and others do absolutely nothing for his pain. So it's important to know a bit about the patient."

Shifting on his feet Zhang didn't know what to say. If he brought the wrong thing and it killed him then Vlad would likely kill him too for taking away his fun. So he said "What do you need to know?"

Jim considered his questions. There was likely a crime involved but his first priority regardless if the injured person was a dirtbag was to save lives. He said "Let's start with male or female, how old, what type of wound, how long has the fever been present and is the patient conscious?"

Zhang answered "Male, maybe late twenties, earlier thirties. Many wounds but the worst I think is a gunshot to the thigh. I'm not sure how long the fever has been going on, maybe since last night or this morning. He's been pretty much out of it for over a day; has been since he was last shocked." Zhang bit his bottom lip. Why the hell did he say so much, especially that last part?

"Sounds like your friend really needs a hospital. If you care about him you will let me contact my dispatch so we can go get your friend the help he needs" Jim responded not liking the answers he had received. Unconscious for over a day was so not good. Neither were a gunshot wound, fever and getting shocked. What the hell?

"He's NOT my friend. No hospitals. He stays with Master. I need the stuff now, quit stalling and get me what I need. Otherwise I shoot you here" Zhang ground out angrily driven by fear.

Jim's mind was working fast. Dave would be returning soon. He didn't want to put him in jeopardy. He needed to get the upper hand and quickly. "Okay. I just gotta get it from the truck. You okay with me climbing up to get what you need?" Jim asked calmly keeping his body loose but preparing to take action.

"Ok" Zhang said taking one step back thinking this was easier than he thought it was going to be. Master would be proud he succeeded.

As soon as he felt the gun move from his back Jim lifted one foot up looking like he was going to enter the truck. In the next instant he spun around. Simultaneously swept the man's legs out from under him and grabbed the wrist holding the gun then twisted. A loud snap followed by a piercing scream filled the empty lot. In the next second Jim had the man pinned on the ground with his arms wrenched high on his back.

Jim yelled "Dave call the police" as he struggled to hold the man down.

Zhang struggled through the pain and screamed "Let me go, let me go. Master will kill me. I don't wanna die. Let me go. If I don't bring the stuff back Master will kill me. I only got twenty minutes left to get back. Sam's gonna die if I don't get him the stuff and Master will blame me. Master's gonna kill me. Let me go NOW. I have to get back."

Dave came running "Shea what the hell is going on?"

Every single alarm bell was ringing in Jim's head listening to this man. People were in danger, someone named Sam. He tamped down an irrational thought but the name Blondie blazed through his mind. No couldn't be, Sam is too common a name. But he couldn't shut off the alarm bells telling him otherwise. "Call the police now Dave." Dave pulled out his phone and called.

As the man struggled beneath him he said calmly "Quiet down. Who is Master? Who is Sam? Tell me what is going on. I may be able to help. I want to help you. I won't let Master kill you. I can protect you from Master. Tell me who Sam is."

* * *

 _ **SRU HQ – Briefing Room**_

Connor watched as the three guys returned to the briefing room. He noticed each of them look with concern at Jules who still had her head down and buried in the reports. He felt the protective vibe emanating from them.

Wordy choose a seat next to Jules. He sat and rolled the chair nearer to her. He reached out a steady hand and placed it over her slightly shaking one on the table and patted it offering comfort. "Hey Jules it will be okay. We're gonna find them."

Jules could not concentrate on the reports. She had been blindly staring at the same one for so long. Her soul was screaming at her non-stop. It was a wild keening sound begging her to do something. Begging her to save him.

She knew without a doubt he was in trouble. It had been building for the past day. Sam did not have much longer; he was close to death. Her voice edged with anguish of Sam's imminent death "No it won't be okay. He doesn't have long. I can feel it. He's fighting hard but he's losing."

Jules lifted her head and turned it to Wordy. What he saw had him immediately standing, pulling her out of the chair and wrapping her in a bear hug. The hopeless, frightened, red-rimmed, tear-filled eyes broke his heart. Jules's broken sobs echoed in the room.

Wordy held her tenderly and securely like he would one of his girls. He gently swayed and whispered soothing words. Greg, Ed and Connor could only watch as Jules shattered as she finally lost her battle for control over her emotions. Her pain and anguish broke free of the cocoon and besieged her. She was incapable of holding back the ragged aching sobs anymore.

Connor tore his eyes away from the heartbreaking scene and turned around as his phone rang. He answered it and spoke with Patrick.

Ed's phone rang at almost the same time. He looked at the caller id. Why was Sam's paramedic buddy Jim Shea calling him? He answered and spoke with Jim.

Winnie transferred a call to Greg's phone from a patrol unit urgently requesting to speak with Sergeant Parker at the same time as the other two answered their phones. Greg spoke to the officer.

All three hung up and sounded off over each other. Greg said "We know where they are." Ed said "Found them." Connor said "Pat squared got a location."

Winnie sounded the claxon alarm then called out "Team Two. Hot Call. Hostage Situation. We've got Sam and Spike's location." Team Two raced to gear up.

Greg looked at Ed, Wordy and Jules and said "Let's go get our guys." They moved out to gear up.

Ed stopped at the entrance and looked back to Connor "Coming?"

Connor nodded yes and headed out with the rest. He was outfitted with a vest and headset. Within minutes SUVs were tearing out of the SRU HQ garage. Greg assumed command and details started flying across headsets.

All wished that the ETA to the location was less than the fifty minutes that GPS indicated it would take to get there at top speed.

* * *

 _ **House in the Woods - Basement**_

Vlad wrenched open the door to the basement gun in hand. Zhang was late and he was pissed he might just have to kill him this time. He stood at the top of the stairs and watched as the partners conversed quietly.

He had come back to his senses a bit and realized that Sam was not Sergei. But he wanted to make them hurt now. Vlad had watched as Spike continued to take care of his partner. It angered him when Spike lightly joked with Sam in an attempt to keep the man's spirits up as he came in and out of consciousness.

Spike heard the door open and leaned close. Sam was slightly aware right now he whispered "Vlad's coming to play I think. Wish we had some garlic to ward him off."

It took effort but Sam opened his eyes half-mast and answered "Ya think he's a vampire?"

Spike glanced up watching Vlad come down the steps "Yeah something like that. Wish I had a stake. Rest easy I got ya buddy. Not gonna let him suck out any more blood from you." Sam just gave him a slight nod because talking took too much effort.

Vlad's anger was peaking as he was trying to decide what to do. Without Zhang here he wasn't sure he could handle them alone. A thought struck him.

Pointing the gun at Sam's head he looked to Spike and said "You get up now."

Spike wrung out the rag once more and placed it across Sam's burning forehead and patted his shoulder. Then he rose. Spike saw the insanity in the man's eyes but still tried to connect "You should just let us go. Right now no one has died. If you let us go it will be easier on you. Can you tell me why you are doing this? If you can, maybe I can help. I'd like a chance to try and help you."

Vlad listened to the words. He was tempted to tell him why in the clichéd movie fashion. But this was no movie so he yelled "Shut up. You are going nowhere except down there. Get moving." Vlad had pointed to the seven foot deep hot tub vat thingy.

Hesitating not wanting to leave Sam's side and leave him unprotected Spike tried again "Vlad, why are you doing this? My brother Sam needs help. Let me get him and you some help. Please."

Vlad shifted his gun from Sam's head to Spike and yelled "No. It's none of your damned business."

Brown eyes rounded wide open in shock as Spike registered a searing pain. A scream erupted from his throat as he staggered back a few steps as the bullet ripped through his arm.

"Move NOW" Vlad yelled.

The loud bang and scream pulled Sam back to consciousness. Spike. He had to protect Spike. He struggled to open his eyes. Sam watched as Spike started down the ladder into the vat. No. no. no. God he had to do something. His body would not respond and move.

Spike caught Sam's eye and gave him a sad smile as he started down the ladder. He'd figured out what this was used for. He knew he was right based on the horrified look Sam had right now. Spike called out to Sam "It'll be okay brother. It's not your fault. Sam did all you could to protect us. Not your fault."

Vlad yelled "Shut the fuck up." Spike glared at him as he reached the bottom of the metal ladder. Vlad then tossed a pair of metal handcuffs down the vat. "Sit then put those on. Put one on your wrist and the other secure to the bottom rung of the ladder."

He was slow to comply attaching the cuffs until he heard the gun fire again and a loud grunt of pain from Sam. Vlad said "Keep it up and I shoot him a third time. Gonna be painful for him to slowly bleed out. Got a nice puddle started again. Maybe I hit his kneecap next."

Ah crap Sam I'm so sorry Spike thought as he quickly secured the cuffs. When he was done he wrapped his hand around his arm and pressed hard trying to stem the bleeding from the bullet wound. Shit it hurt. He clenched his jaw tightly not wanting to cry out in pain.

They were so screwed. Barring a miracle they both would be dead soon. As the very cold water started to rapidly fill the vat from a huge spout above him he wondered which would be a worse death. Bleeding out or drowning.

Neither would be any fun he decided. But his warped sense of humor thought that if it were left up to Sam he would choose bleeding out. He could almost hear Sam quip 'Drowning, been there done that, let's try something new.' He couldn't help a small smile.

Spike pulled himself back to the here and now and yanked on the metal rung. Unlike some of the rungs this one was solid. He decided not to call out for help as he continued to try and work the rung loose. No one but Sam was near and it would just distress Sam to hear him calling for help.

That is assuming Sam was still conscious or alive. Spike hadn't heard a sound from him since the grunt of pain. He had no idea where the bullet had hit Sam this time. Although Vlad inferred it was not a critical location it very well could be.

As the ice cold water reached mid-chest Spike let his mind conjure up images of his loved ones. Mentally he said goodbye to each one. When the water reached his neck an image of Lou came to mind. He softly said aloud "Gonna be joining you soon brother. We can hang out on beaches together and hit the dance floor with the ladies again."

Spike took one long last deep breath and held it just before the water crested above his nose and mouth.

Sam had watched as Vlad turned on the water. He was willing his body to respond. All he needed to do was snap the bastard's neck and turn off the water before it covered Spike. Sam yelled "Fuck" as he saw the handle to the water valve break off. There was no way to stop the water now.

Vlad laughed looking at the handle in his hand. How utterly perfect, he only planned to fill it up to the point that Spike had to work for breaths to draw out the torture. But fate had deemed this officer would have a quick death.

He looked down into the vat. Man the water was rising fast. It was all the way to his chest. It wouldn't be long before he drowned. He laughed again.

Sam's outburst of one word had cost him energy. As much as he wanted to call out to Spike he could not do that again. He dug deep, deep down. He had to gather all his strength. He needed one burst, just one burst to take the bastard out.

If he took him out maybe he could find the keys and save Spike from drowning. He shuddered recalling the fear he felt when he drowned so long ago. Please let him gather enough energy to take out the bastard.

Keeping his eyes closed to appear as no threat he wished Vlad would come close. Sam heard Vlad laugh again. Shit he felt himself slipping as the delirium of fever was taking over again. No. This could not happen now he needed to stay here to save Spike.

Vlad left the vat and went to Sam. In his euphoric state Vlad knelt close and gloated "It's your fault Spike died. Drowning is such a silent death."

A feral roar ripped from Sam's throat as he propelled himself up and caught hold of Vlad. They rolled around on the floor each trying to get the upper hand. Sam ended up on his back with Vlad's back against his chest, his arms wrapped around Vlad's neck and his legs wrapped around Vlad's midsection.

Sam was not in a position nor had the energy necessary to snap Vlad's neck but was applying pressure to choke the man out. Through the haze of fever and intense pain Sam knew he was near the end of his rope and he wondered which one of them would go out first.

Vlad had been surprised. He had underestimated this man. His vision was fading gray quickly as he struggled to get out of this choke hold. Where Sam got the energy to attack him boggled his mind. But Vlad snickered as he felt the pressure release from his neck. He won. He rolled off Sam and started to go for his gun.

His body thoroughly depleted Sam slipped unconscious. He did not hear the pounding footsteps down the stairs. Nor did he hear the shouts of 'freeze SRU', calls for EMS and the splash into the vat of water.

He heard none of that. The only thing he heard was Matt's pissed off voice saying "Hey Blondie, you're not supposed to be here yet."


	11. The Rescue

**The Rescue**

* * *

 _ **House in the Woods - Outside**_

Jim's paramedic rig was already on scene back behind the perimeter when SRU arrived. Jim jogged up to Ed and shared a layout of the house he had hand drawn based on information he had extracted from Zhang. It was a good thing since no blueprints were available. Then he huddled up with the SRU teams and outlined where the guy Zhang called Master could be and gave all the details he knew about the interior based on Zhang's description.

Ed, Greg and Wordy had all patted his back and said thanks. Jules had hugged him fiercely and kissed his cheek. Her display of affection had stunned him. Before the SRU teams headed out all of Team Two had also offered one form or another of thanks. Jim could see that whatever was going on had all of SRU rattled.

As SRU headed out Jim and his partner Dave prepared their equipment and waited for word it was safe to enter. Jim had called for a second paramedic rig and air-evac based on the injuries that Zhang had related that Sam and Spike had suffered. He wanted to be fully prepared. The second paramedic rig pulled up as Jim watched the SRU teams start their stealthy approach toward the house.

Jim pulled his gaze away from the house back to his supplies double checking he had everything he might need. He was also actively pushing down his fears and concerns for both Spike and Sam. He was fortifying his medic walls and mentally preparing for having to see Blondie hurt again. Not just hurt but actually tortured again. Although Zhang had not indicated it was one of the wounds, Jim didn't think he could handle it well if Blondie had been whipped again. Not Blondie. Sam. Sam. Sam, he reminded himself.

Connor had observed the planning and was now impatiently waiting at the perimeter. He did not want to wait outside. But he knew having an unfamiliar man in the mix could be confusing and people could get hurt. So he waited.

As Connor waited he thought it strange how Ed had immediately started conversing with the paramedic. It was also strange they included the medic in a tactical discussion. However, Connor was in agreement with the medic's suggestion to do a quiet entry. It was necessary because the killer's location in the house was unknown. If the killer was with Sam and Spike and was startled it was highly likely he would kill them.

Pacing back and forth his thoughts shifted to the information provided by Pat squared. Pat squared had gotten Saul to sing like a canary in very short order. They had extracted from Saul all the details on how they had set up kidnapping. Saul indicated that there were at least eight more dead bodies he knew of those that had helped set things up. The only pieces of information Saul could not provide was how it was all paid for and the actual name of the Anagram Killer. All they were allowed to call him was Master.

Connor stopped pacing near the paramedic gurney. He turned and watched the house determining his priorities. His first priority once the house was secured and Sam and Spike received care was to confront the killer and determine his identity. His second priority would be to collect the evidence. From Pat squared he knew there would be a video room and that the killer kept videos of all his killings. Convicting him would be easy with all that evidence.

Anxiously Connor waited for the all clear so he could head in with the paramedics. That thought renewed his curiosity why a paramedic consulted on the tactical entry. Connor noticed he was now standing next to the paramedic. He picked up on a strange undercurrent.

The paramedic seemed both very reluctant and impatient to get in there. Connor noticed the man held himself very soldier like, loose but ready to spring at a moment's notice. So he ventured "So you know a bit about recon? A strange thing for a paramedic to know."

Jim glanced at the man. He had seen him on the sidelines as he had told Ed and Wordy what he knew of the interior. He could clearly hear the English accent and wondered just who he was and what he was doing here. Hell he wanted to know what here was and how Sam and Spike had become hostages. There was absolutely nothing on the news about SRU officers being taken hostage several days ago.

Blondie being a hostage brought back so many unwanted memories. Unconsciously while preparing to go in and handle Blondie's injuries Jim had slipped further into soldier mode. So instead of answering the question Jim gave a non-answer as he replied "Not from around here huh?"

Instantly Connor thought no easy mark, didn't offer any information. He scrutinized the man closely. He had single-handedly taken down an armed man then extracted information from him. Definitely not your run of the mill paramedic. Definitely had a military or police background.

Connor answered as he offered to shake the paramedic's hand "No, quite right. Sorry, name's Senior Detective Connor McGillie with Interpol Manchester, UK. I'm leading this investigation. Thanks for your assistance. I'm damn glad to finally get information leading us to Spike and Sam. I bloody well hope they are still alive. Need you and your buddies to make sure that bastard doesn't get to add to his death count."

Jim looked him over. Interpol? Death count? Interesting. Unnerving too. Did Sam get called up again? Nah if he had there would be JTF2 here now not Interpol. Just what the hell had Blondie gotten into this time? Christ trouble followed that kid.

Gripping the offered hand firmly and shaking it Jim decided to answer the man's first question. "Jim Shea. Former Special Forces. Recon and unit medic were my specialties." He saw Connor's brows raise slightly impressed.

Jim continued adding his commentary on Sam and Spike's status "We'll do our best. And Blondie damn well better still be alive, else he'll have to answer to me."

"Blondie?" Connor asked as the second set of paramedics came to stand to the left of Jim.

Sighing Jim couldn't help but thinking of Sam as Blondie whenever he was hurt. He was damned glad they didn't cross paths often on the job. The last time with the redheaded bitch was bad enough. He really was not looking forward to this time from the description of wounds Zhang had given him. Jim answered "Sam. He's a buddy. We were in the same unit."

Connor could see the pain in the man's eyes. He knew nothing of their history but the look was telling. He was about to say something when one of the other paramedics asked "Sam's in there?"

Looking to his left Jim saw that Steve and Zach had arrived. "Yeah, Spike too. Me and Dave will get Sam. You guys handle Spike."

"Any idea what are we looking at injury wise?" Steve asked.

Jim said "From the little I know they've both been pretty much beat to hell for several days; likely dehydrated. I think Spike had a head wound. The guy indicated that Sam took the brunt of it. GSW to the thigh, tasered multiple times, fever. No telling what else we will encounter. I requested a dual air-evac just in case."

Steve nodded "Is the rest of Team One involved? Anyone else hurt?" What he really wanted to ask was is Jules here and is she okay? Even though she broke up with him he still cared about her. But he knew her path was not his path. He hated to admit it but her heart had belonged to someone else even though she had tried to make it work with him. Sometimes he wondered who that someone else was.

Jim grimaced as he thought injured was a relative term. When he had seen the four of them they all looked like death warmed over. Every single one of them had dark circles under their eyes. They were haggard and he knew how close they all were. So although not physically injured they were still hurt. Because just like his JTF2 unit, they were a family and when one was hurt they all hurt.

He looked at Steve and answered "Greg, Ed, Wordy and Jules are all here, but no they are not injured." Steve nodded relieved Jules was not hurt then went with Zach to gather items they might need given the injuries Jim indicated Spike suffered.

* * *

 _ **House in the Woods - Basement**_

With information from Jim gleaned from Zhang they were ninety-nine point nine percent sure that Sam and Spike were in the basement. Team Two was working to clear the first floor and second floor while Team One headed straight for the basement.

Wordy eased open the door and they all prepared to enter quickly. They heard the sounds of a struggle then it went quiet. Ed, followed by Wordy, Greg and then Jules bolted down the stairs. Ed yelled "Freeze SRU" as he raced to the bottom of the stairs.

As they all made it into the basement the scene that met Team One's eyes was emotionally difficult to take in. It took all their training to not react. A beaten and bloodied Sam was sprawled out on the ground not moving and a man was on his knees next to him with a gun pressed to Sam's head. Ed and Jules trained their weapons on the man.

Greg and Wordy calmly looked about for Spike not seeing him in the basement. Greg called out deadly calm "Where is Spike?"

The man was looking directly at Ed and said nothing. But Greg saw a sick smile and a quick flick of the man's eyes to one corner of the room containing what looked like some sort of well or something. Greg saw water pouring from a huge spout into the well. Greg and Wordy moved quickly to it.

Greg wasted no time in saying a single thing, knowing that Ed and Jules had the situation with the armed man under control. He saw Spike at the bottom.

Within a flash he had dropped his weapons and jumped into the three-quarters full vat. He dove down once and tapped Spike to see if he would respond. His heart wrenched when he got no response. It was then he saw Spike was handcuffed to the bottom rung.

He surface and drew in a huge breath then dove down again. He reached Spike and took his face in his hands and blew air into Spike's mouth. Greg surfaced again and gulped air. "Need key or bolt cutters, handcuffed to rung" he gasped to Wordy. Taking another deep breath Greg headed back down and gave Spike more air.

Wordy had quickly fished out his handcuff key from his tact vest pocket and when Greg surfaced pressed it into his hand. Greg went down again, blew the breath into Spike then unlocked the cuff. Grabbing Spike under the arms he kicked up to the surface. Wordy was waiting there and took a hold of Spike as they surfaced.

Greg was panting from exertion as he hauled himself up the ladder and out of the vat. Once out Greg and Wordy heaved Spike out of the vat and laid him on the ground. Wordy checked for a pulse and found none. He immediately started CPR as Greg caught his own breath.

As he watched Wordy doing CPR, Greg said under his breath "Son of a bitch." Dammit he wanted to call in EMS right now but the killer was still armed. Spike was not breathing, nor did it look like Sam was either. SON OF A BITCH he yelled in his head. He was losing two of his family. They had gotten here too damned late.

Ed and Jules had been aware of Greg and Wordy heading to the corner of the room but were focused on Sam and the man in front of them with a gun to Sam's head. They trusted them to handle Spike while they handled the man with the gun to Sam's head.

Jules was stunned by Sam's appearance. Her heart and soul was screaming at her 'he needs help now'. Her eyes on his chest praying to see a familiar rise and fall but she could not detect one. She refused to give up on him. She would get this man away from him so Sam could get the help he desperately needed.

She was pulled out of her thoughts and back to the man as she registered he was speaking "Let me go or I'll blow his brains out."

Jules responded calmly belying her inner turmoil "Drop your gun and move away from him now."

Vlad's attention shifted from the tall bald officer he had been staring at to the petite woman he had not noticed before. Shock rippled through him "Alice? It can't be. You're dead. I killed you and Sergei. You're dead." His eyes shifted back to Sam then back to Jules. It repeated several times. His mind broke with reality and Vlad now saw only Sergei and Alice.

Connor was waiting with Jim and the other paramedics when he heard an unfamiliar voice call out his daughter's name. He started at a dead run towards the house when he heard 'I killed you and Sergei'. His gut roiling. His daughter's death had been ruled an accident. Now the Anagram Killer was saying he killed her and Sergei. He needed to be in there now.

Ed and Jules were stunned by what the man said. Ed could see the madness in the man's eyes. He wanted to shoot right now but he didn't have a clear shot to the brain stem and could not risk a twitch of the finger or Sam would be dead.

As Ed was ever so slowly trying to edge to the right to get into a position to shoot sounds of footsteps rapidly descending the stairs announced Connor's arrival. Connor raised his gun to the man and yelled "You killed Alice?"

Vlad looked at the new man and growled out "No the slut is still alive, cannot you see that." Turning his eyes back to Jules he sneered "You tried to take my Sergei. It didn't work." With his free hand touched Sam's face. "See he came back to me. He wanted me more than you."

Holy hell Jules thought. This man is insane. She knew neither she or Ed were in a position to take the needed shot so she attempted to talk him down "I'm Jules Callaghan with the Strategic Response Unit I'd like to resolve this without anyone else getting hurt. Can you tell me your name?"

Vlad looked at her "Don't go lying to me bitch. I know your name is Alice McGillie."

Jules was surprised by the name McGillie and she flicked a quick glance at Connor and saw the pale, shocked look on his face at the same time she heard his sharp intake of breath. She wished the Boss could give her guidance but he was in the vat trying to rescue Spike. She was on her own.

She swallowed hard "My name is Jules."

Yelling Vlad cut her off "No you are Alice. I'm not letting you take Sergei from me again." He yanked Sam and pulled him up on his lap closer to him.

Oh god she would not be able to convince him that she was not Alice and he seemed to think Sam was someone named Sergei. She tried "Can you tell me your name?"

"Why should I tell you my name again? You already know it. Sergei introduced us. I wish you had never come to work at the museum. You stole Sergei. I will not let you have him again. I'd rather kill him than let you have him again. You were both supposed to die when I cut his brake lines" Vlad yelled as he pushed the gun deeply into Sam's temple.

Jules was struggling with what to say next when Connor burst out "You bastard you killed my daughter."

Ed was almost in position. He was moving slowly trying not to draw the killer's attention. He heard Wordy starting to give Spike CPR. He needed to resolve this now. Could he pull the trigger now? No he could not risk it. One more half step to the right. Almost there he thought. Hang on guys almost there.

Vlad looked at the man again "Are you fucking blind. She is right there. I don't know how but the bitch survived. But she won't again. Neither of them will. They betrayed me. They will pay."

Jules saw the finger edging toward the trigger and she threw out her conventional training, it would not work with a man in this state. She called out "Don't hurt Sergei. He loves you. He wanted to come back to you. See he is with you. He left me to come back to you."

Her breath caught in her throat watching, waiting, and hoping. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Ed continuing to edge into position. She needed to buy him time. Jules took a step forward and lowered her weapon. She heard the Boss slight intake of breath as he said "Jules" so softly. They all knew the risk she was taking and no one liked it.

Vlad did not flinch as she stepped closer. The bitch was coming closer. If he let Alice get close then he could take her out too. So he stayed still. His hand caressed Sergei. He thought Sergei came back.

Jules said softly "We need to get Sergei help. Can you see that he is hurt? Can you put the gun down so Sergei can be helped?"

Glaring at her Vlad said "Sergei is mine."

"I know. I know. You care about Sergei. Let us get him the help he needs. Put down your gun. Please" Jules intoned and took another step closer. She was so close to Sam now. She desperately wanted to reach out and touch him. From this distance she saw that his chest was actually rising and falling ever so slightly. Relief so intense pounded in her head it almost made her dizzy, Sam was still alive.

She reached out her hand palm up toward the killer "Can you give me your gun? Sergei needs help now. You don't want Sergei to die."

A sick expression creased Vlad's face. In a blink of an eye he lunged and had his hands wrapped tightly around Jules throat and was squeezing the life out of her. Three shots rang out. Vlad fell to the ground screaming and withering in pain.

Ed raced for the subject and had him cuffed in the next instance. Greg and Connor were racing to Jules and Sam. Greg was yelling for the EMS to enter.

Jules was gasping for air. It hurt to breath. Her head was swimming as she struggled to fight off the blackness trying to envelope her. The last thing she saw was Connor's face above hers. She registered the compassion and pain just before her eyes slipped closed.

Ed was at Sam seconds after cuffing the bastard. He could care less if the man bled out. He had wished he had a kill shot in sight but he couldn't with the man on Jules. He took out the knee cap knowing that it would be painful. He had registered two other shots and guessed they came from Greg and Connor.

Checking Sam for a pulse Ed swore vehemently when he found none. He started CPR. Wordy and Ed's gazes met across the room as each worked valiantly to revive their friends. They broke the eye contact as they heard footfalls on the stairs and glanced in that direction. EMS, thank god help was arriving.

As Greg reached Jules he saw Ed starting CPR on Sam. Son of a bitch. He knelt next to Connor who was next to Jules. "Jules come on open your eyes. Come on Jules stay with me." He lightly tapped her cheek. He got no response. He checked her pulse, rapid but strong. Greg looked to Connor and saw the man was beyond pale.

Connor had watched as the man seized Jules around the neck and choked her. That bastard had killed his sweet daughter Alice. Now he was killing Jules. He could not allow that. He had fired. He had aimed for the man's head but he had moved at just the last second and so it hit him in the shoulder. He wished he had killed the bastard.

He watched as Jules lost consciousness. He could see the finger marks around her slender throat. It was testament to the crushing grip the bastard had on her. Connor looked at Greg and said somewhat shakily from the rage and concern he was feeling "Windpipe, I think her windpipe might be bruised or…" He couldn't bring himself to say out loud crushed.

Greg reached out and delicately probed her neck. The red welts of the fingers that had brutally cut off her air were making themselves known. He placed his hand under her nose waiting to feel her breath. A few tears slipped from his eyes as he felt the warm moist air emitted from her nose. "Jules help is coming. Stay with us." He brushed a wayward strand of her hair away from her face.

Looking at Connor, Greg knew they needed to talk but now was not the time. It would have to wait for later. This whole thing was weird and convoluted. He was saddened to hear that the madman had killed Connor's daughter. He wondered why the man thought Jules was Alice and Sam was Sergei. But that would have to wait.

Greg looked at the man that had wrought all this harm. The man was crying out in pain from three gunshots; his having hit the man in the back on the right side. It would have been a heart shot if the man had not moved at the last moment. Greg felt not an ounce of sympathy for him. He should but he didn't. It probably had to do with the fact that he was responsible for three of his family now fighting for their lives.

Steve, Jim, Dave and Zach raced down the steps. The scene was hectic. Holy mother of god Steve thought as he saw Ed and Wordy performing CPR, Greg kneeling close to Jules and another man cuffed but bleeding and screaming. He froze not knowing who to go to first.

Jim took in the sight and allowed his medic persona to fully take over. He headed straight for Sam. He knew he needed to treat him the other medics would take care of the others. Sam was his brother and he would not fail him. He took in the two gunshot wounds, holes from the taser leads, the bruised torso and face. Christ he looked bad. But what scared him the most was Ed was preforming CPR. He knelt and began working to stabilize Sam.

Dave who did not have a personal connection with any of them called for more paramedics. He saw the indecision on Steve's face. He knew Steve knew this team. Dave took charge "Steve, take the female SRU officer. Zach take the other male SRU officer. I've got the subject." All three headed toward their patients.

Steve reached Jules. He did a quick assessment seeing her unconscious state and the blood across her chest and legs. He then asked Greg "What happened to her?"

Greg answered "Choked. Passed out. Blood is not hers."

Steve gently probed the neck. He didn't like the swelling he felt. "I need your help. I need to intubate her. The swelling if it gets bad enough can restrict her airway." With that he set about performing the tracheal intubation to secure Jules airway with Greg's help.

Zach arrived at Spike just in time to hear the coughing as Spike started expelling water. They rolled Spike to his side to facilitate the exit of the water and prevent him from breathing it back in. Coughing spasms lasted for quite some time. Zach looked at Wordy and said "Good job. Hold him on his side while I get the pressure bandage on his arm and get some vitals." The two worked together to stabilize Spike for transport.

Dave went to the cuffed man as Bradley, Mike and Curtis from Team Two approached too. Dave looked at Bradley "I need him uncuffed to treat him."

Bradley looked with disgust at the man on the floor. More than anything he wanted to put a bullet between his eyes but instead he said to the man "Don't move. I'm going to uncuff you so the medic can attend your wounds." Then Bradley looked to Mike and ordered "Mike cover me. If he so much as moves and inch take him out. I will not risk anyone else getting harmed."

Mike nodded to his Sarge said "Copy that" and aimed his MP5 at the man's head. It sucked that this bastard would get to live. Even though he would spend the rest of his life in prison for what he had done, he would still live after he killed so many. As his Sarge crouched down to undo the cuffs Mike was silently yelling 'Move dammit, move just one muscle. Give me a reason to shoot you now you fucking bastard'. But he didn't think the man would be stupid enough to move with an MP5 directed at his head.

He was wrong. As soon as the first cuff was unlocked the man growled and lunged at the paramedic. Dave was couched next to the man and reeled backwards at the attack. Mike placed a single bullet between the man's eyes.

There was a collective sigh that was emitted from those in the basement. No one would say it out loud but every last one of them thought 'good the bastard's dead'.

Dave sat on his ass staring at the dead man before him. The SRU officer had likely saved him from some injury. He swallowed hard and scrambled to his feet. The adrenaline rushing through him he was shaky. Curtis put an arm on Dave's shoulder and said quietly "He doesn't need your services now. Go help our guys."

All focus was now on the injured SRU officers.

Dave joined Jim who seemed to have the worst injured officer. Jim glanced up and saw Dave. "I've done all I can here, we need to transport him now. Get the backboard." As Dave raced off to get the backboard Jim focused on Sam. It was bad.

Jim watched as Ed slowly squeezed the bag helping Sam breath. Sam's pulse was way to slow and erratic. With the two gunshot wounds he had lost a lot of blood. Jim felt swelling on the side of Sam's head and wondered if there was internal swelling too.

Adjusting the flow of the IV Jim heard Ed's soft concerned question "He's gonna make it right?"

Jim looked at Ed "Truth?"

Ed steeled himself, squeezed the bag again keeping the rhythm Jim had instructed "Truth."

"I don't know. I just don't know this time. He's a fighter but there are so many injuries that I don't know the extent of the the damage. We don't know how long he went without breathing. We just need to hope we got to him in time" Jim said flatly protecting himself by staying completely and deeply in medic mode.

The next ten minutes was a flurry of activity as Sam, Spike and Jules were prepared for transport. Sam and Spike via air-evac and Jules was taken by ambulance with Wordy riding with her. As much as Ed and Greg had wanted to go they had to remain. They had discharged their weapons and had to meet with SIU before they could go.

Inspector Stainton approached Greg and Ed who watched the ambulance leave "Parker, Lane let's go. I'll make this as quick as I can so you can head to the hospital."

Greg looked at him with a tight grimace "Alright." He turned to follow Stainton and had taken five steps when he realized Ed was not following. He stopped and said "Ed." Ed did not acknowledge him. Louder Greg said "Eddie, let's go." Still no response. He looked at Stainton "I need a minute."

"Protocol. No talking …" Stainton started but stopped at the glare Greg gave him. "Alright, but just a moment. I'll meet you at the car."

Greg returned to Ed and placed a hand on his shoulder "Eddie?" He turned so he was in front of Ed and he could see his face.

Unshed tears welled in Ed's blue eyes. His voice soft and croaky Ed said "I should have stopped her. I should have just shot the bastard before he attacked her. I could see he was unstable. I should have stopped her. Sam and Spike. Dammit. It's my entire fault we should have never split up that day. Spike and Sam would not have been taken if we hadn't. Dammit. None of them are breathing on their own. We could lose every single one of them."

Unable to find the right words because he felt the same guilt and fear Greg simply stared at his friend. They both saw the pain and guilt they shouldered. It weighed heavy threatening to drag them both under. Finally Greg got out "Let's get SUI over with so we can be there for them. They are gonna need us now."

Ed nodded and the two of them walked toward Stainton.


	12. Compassion In Many Forms

**Compassion In Many Forms**

* * *

 _ **House in the Woods - Outside**_

Connor was still in shock at what he saw and what transpired in the basement. He was having a hard time wrapping his head around all of it. He sat on the top step with an emergency blanket wrapped around his shoulders. He refused to go to the hospital to be checked out. He had too much to do at the scene.

But once Jules had been loaded in the ambulance he could no longer hold off the shaking. He allowed Sergeant Bradley to sit him on the porch as another of his team raced off to get a medic to check him over. So now the blood pressure cuff was constricting his arm. He knew it would read high, very high. How could it not. He just found out his beautiful daughter had been deliberately murdered.

That her precious life had been snuffed out because she had fallen in love with a man and that man returned her affection. That a clearly delusional psychotic man had deemed it a betrayal and decided that Alice and Sergei needed to die. That that same delusional man then focused that rage on others. Just how many lives had this one man taken?

After getting the information from Pat and Pat about all the bodies of those that helped pull off this abduction it made him wonder how many others in all the other countries there were. How many low level criminals looking for easy money had been killed after they had served their purpose? Those men were probably not as good as the officers taken but they sure as hell didn't deserve to be murdered either.

Connor barely heard the paramedic telling him he should go to the hospital. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. No he could not do that. He needed to take control of the scene and the evidence. The man may be dead and unable to perpetrate his crimes any more but he still needed to pull the evidence together and try to identify the man. The families of the officers deserved to have the peace that might come if they knew who did it and why.

He nearly laughed hysterically but caught it and managed it to come out a stunted snort. Why? Why? Lover scorned? But why target officers, partners, friends? He needed to find the pieces that connected the psychotic man's scorn to his targets. Neither Sergei or Alice were police officers so it didn't fit.

Connor hoped the evidence would divulge that link. He would need to interview Saul and Zhang himself. He would need to watch all the videos. He didn't think he would ever be the same after he finished with the videos, he was pretty sure it contained all the torture. How could he ever be the same watching men being tortured; the end result photos had been bad enough?

He wished he could delegate that task. But how could he do that to someone else? No he could not. He would take care of that task himself. Maybe if he was able to get into the head of the man that caused all this devastation he would be able to come to terms with his own loss of Alice.

Connor recognized again that someone was talking to him. He looked up to see Commander Holleran. Blinking a few times he finally keyed in on what the man was saying "Detective McGillie my officers can secure the scene. You don't look so good. Perhaps you should go to the hospital as the paramedic suggested."

"No I'm fine. I already called in an Interpol CSI team. If the patrol officers can maintain the perimeter my team can take care of the interior" Connor answered his voice not as strong as he would like.

Holleran looked at the pale, shaken man and said "Are you sure?"

Taking a deep steadying breath Connor responded "Yes. My team can take it from here. I know your men are needed for normal business."

Holleran nodded and said to Bradley "Sergeant, since your team is no longer needed here your team is off calls for the duration of the shift. After what you all experienced in there your team is down for the next two days after you finish your debrief. I will be requiring each of your team to visit the psychologist before returning to duty. I've already called in Team Six to cover your shifts. I know you need to go to SIU due to Mike being the subject officer. But …"

Bradley started to interrupt but Holleran stalled him and continued "But I'd like you to do me a favor. If you could wait for Ed and Greg to finish with SIU then take them to the hospital I'd appreciate it. Neither of them should drive and I know they want to get there quickly. Waiting for a cab would be one more delay they should not have to endure. Let them know I'm heading to the hospital so Wordsworth is not left alone waiting."

The Commander's concern for the teams was duly appreciated by Bradley. He knew it hit them all seeing Jules, Sam and Spike in that condition. All three of them bagged and not breathing on their own. The bloodied and bruised conditions of both Spike and Sam. Watching as Jim used the defibrillator to bring back Sam when his heart stopped just before he was transported.

It had been extremely traumatic for all SRU officers on scene. Bradley was also glad about the mandated psych visits for his team too because he was a bit worried about Mike. The look in Mike's eyes after neutralizing the subject had been so conflicted. He wondered what Mike was thinking.

Mike was closer to Team One having worked with them as Sam's replacement several years ago when Sam had reactivated. It had to be extra difficult for him to see Spike and Jules injured so badly. Mike definitely needed time to process it all and talking to a counselor could help.

Bradley said "Yes Sir. Thank you Commander. Would you like me to contact any of their families?"

Connor watched as Holleran said "No, I'll take care of that. Shouldn't subject anyone to Will's rage when I tell him about Sam." Bradley nodded knowingly with a tight grimace and headed off to SIU.

It was just the two of them on the steps when Holleran looked back to Connor and asked "Is there anything else we can do for you right now?"

Still slightly chilled from the shock that was wearing off, Connor half joking said "A spot of tea or coffee would be nice. Other than that I'm good. My team will be here in a few minutes and can handle the scene."

Holleran nodded then looked around finding who he wanted then shouted "Curtis, before you head out, round up some hot tea for Detective McGillie." Curtis acknowledged and swiftly set about to comply. Connor stared at Holleran disbelieving he just sent an elite police officer off on a tea run.

Norm looked at Connor and gave him a sad smile "It's the least we can do. You've worked round the clock to try and save my men. I don't know if they will make it but at least they have a chance now. Thanks to you my godson is still alive."

Connor couldn't stop the question from leaving his lips "Your godson?" Then his mind started connected the the dots beginning with the statement about rage. Will was General William Braddock who was known for his fury and the father of Sam. Calling the General Will would indicate a close friendship. A close friendship was usually the means of becoming a godparent. So he deduced that Sam Braddock must be Holleran's godson. Interesting.

Sighing Holleran couldn't believe he had said that out loud. He must be more rattled by this than he thought. He was so good about not making that connection or distinction known. Not that it would cause Sam problems anymore because he had more than proved himself. But nonetheless it was private and he never openly talked about it at work.

However he had said it so he answered "Yes, Sam is my godson. But Spike and Jules are just as important. If you need anything from me or my teams do not hesitate to call me."

With that Holleran left and Connor shook a little bit as the revelation how close all the SRU teams were. He looked up as Curtis arrived with two cups in his hand.

Having gotten on a first name basis with most of SRU Curtis said to him "Connor, wasn't sure which you would prefer. Got you Earl Grey tea and a double double coffee." Curtis set them on the step next to the detective.

Connor reached for the tea and said "Perfect thanks Curtis." Curtis smiled and nodded then headed back towards his SUV where Gary was waiting for him.

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Private Waiting Room**_

Nurse Nancy had ushered Wordy into the large private waiting room upon his arrival. A short time ago she had received the arrival notifications regarding three injured SRU officers. Nancy had quickly relocated a family from the large waiting room to a smaller one that would still work for them. She knew for a fact that the waiting room would be packed shortly.

Wordy was pacing back and forth when Nancy came back in with three clipboards of paperwork. Nancy watched a moment. Wordy looked horrible. Dark circles, drawn tight lines of concern, pale and shaky. Nancy walked up to him and said compassionately "Who was injured?"

Stopping Wordy looked at Nancy "Jules, Sam and Spike."

Nancy wrapped him in a hug. He looked so much like he needed one. She was surprised when he didn't pull away. She held him a moment and said "I'll be right back. I want you to sit down before you fall down." Nancy led him to a chair and made him sit.

She left the room with the blank paperwork. Knowing who it was now she went to her computer. She quickly pulled up records on each of them. Glad that the hospital was finally getting computerized in the patient records department. It was something small but she could print out the basics of the forms and Wordy will only need to fill in changes.

Printouts in hand she stopped to grab a coffee and a blanket. Entering the waiting room again Nancy approached Wordy who was sitting where she left him but his head was now in his hands. Softly she said "Wordy got you some coffee." He looked up and took the offered coffee with shaky hands gripping it with both to avoid spilling it.

Nancy put the clipboards on the chair beside him and as she draped the blanket around him she said "I want you to warm up first, you are soaking wet. The paperwork can wait a bit. I just need you to review it and make any changes that you know of. I'll be back shortly. Do you need anything else right now?"

Wordy was grateful for the blanket. He was soaked through pulling Spike from the vat and it was cold in hospitals. Managing to get the cup to his lips and take a sip of the hot coffee Wordy said "Thanks Nancy. Just keep me apprised of any developments. We're probably gonna have a full house here soon."

"Will do. You know their all gonna fight hard. They always do. I'll try to find out which doctors are treating each of them. Dr. Fraser and Dr. Draper are on today so it is likely it will be one of them." Nancy patted his shoulder again before leaving.

When she left Wordy set the coffee down unable to stop the shaking. He buried his head in his hands. He allowed the tears he had been holding back the entire time to flow freely. The image of Spike's blue lips, deathly pale skin and his lifeless body when they pulled him from the vat was seared into his brain. What kind of monster could do something like that to a person?

Wordy had never been so happy to hear someone cough as he was when Spike started spitting up water. He thought for sure they were too late. The look on Greg's face was total devastation when he had seen Spike's lifeless body on the concrete floor. He knew that Greg looked upon Spike as a son. Spike was special to Greg.

The coughing had brought relief. He had patted Spike's back as he watched the paramedic staunch the blood seeping from Spike's arm then starting the IV. He had been hopeful Spike would be just fine. But then Spike quit breathing again and they had to intubate him. It was too much to witness, watching the medic guide the tube down his throat made him cringe. He had squeezed the bag as instructed until another paramedic arrived and he was pushed out of the way.

At that point he had looked around the room and saw that both Jules and Sam were bagged too. Hearing Jim shout 'clear' as they defibrillated Sam three times before they got a pulse nearly broke him in the basement. He couldn't hold back the tears or the quiet sobs now. My god they had been tortured.

Riding in the ambulance with Jules had been a blur. He held her hand and whispered for her to hang on. He hadn't seen the attack because he was so focused on trying to keep Spike alive. He would have to ask Ed and Greg about it. Her throat was so bruised and swollen. Jules, Spike and Sam; oh god please god let them be okay. His body was shaking uncontrollably now.

Wordy heard the door open but did not look up until a familiar voice said "Wordy?"

It was Steve the paramedic. The guy Jules dated a while back. His mind barely registered that he was the paramedic in the ambulance with them. He wiped at his eyes and tried to compose himself. He barely managed to get out "How is she?"

Steve paced back and forth in front of Wordy "Jules is with the ER doctors now. They are working to keep her airway open. It is swelling. They have to do a scan to make sure her windpipe is not crushed. What happened to her?"

Giving Steve a look of dazed confusion Wordy said "I wish I knew."

"But you were there. Why don't you know? Why wasn't she protected?" Steve yelled angrily, overwhelmed by all he had seen.

Jim had slipped into the room just as Steve yelled. Jim strode quickly to Steve and pushed Steve backward across the room up against a wall and said menacingly "Leave Wordy alone. Didn't you see him giving Spike CPR? I sure as hell did. Keep your damned trap shut if you don't have anything useful to say." Giving Steve another shove Jim turned on his heel and strode back to Wordy.

Upon entering the room Jim had been instantly concerned about Wordy's state. Crouching down in front of him Jim asked "You okay Wordy?" Taking in the shaking, his pallor, the clammy skin and shallow rapid breathing Jim reached out and checked Wordy's pulse and found it was rapid. Definitely shock. Dammit.

Jim eased Wordy unresisting onto the floor and he yelled back at Steve "Make yourself useful. Go grab a few blankets. Wordy's in shock." Jim lifted Wordy's legs into the chair then loosened his uniform shirt at the neck.

Steve raced to get some blankets. As he went he kicked himself for attacking Wordy and not recognizing the he was in shock. He would have to chalk it up to being so worried about Jules but he would need to apologize to Wordy.

Working to loosen and remove Wordy's tact vest Jim spoke calmly "You're gonna be okay. Just need to rest here a bit Wordy. I want you to slow your breathing. Good. That's it slow inhale, hold slow exhale."

Jim could see that Wordy was dazed and out of it now. He saw the same exhaustion he had seen before the team had entered the house, only now it was tenfold. Team One must have been pushing themselves beyond the limit for several days now. "Rest Wordy. Slow your breathing."

Wordy looked at Jim confused. He saw his lips moving, sort of but didn't register the words. Things were running in slow motion but twirling around him and seemed disjointed. He felt dizzy. He closed his eyes against the nausea the threatened when the world spun around him.

Nancy and Steve arrived together. Nancy said "Gosh darn it. I saw he wasn't doing well. I should have checked back sooner. Thought the shaking was just from the wet cloths. What can I do to help?"

Jim said "I'll lift him; I need you to pull the vest off. Then go round up a gurney." Nancy helped with the vest then ran off to do as asked.

As Jim and Steve were finishing getting Wordy on the gurney Commander Holleran entered the waiting room "What happened?"

"Emotional shock exacerbated by complete exhaustion I think" Jim said as he pushed the gurney to the door. "Gonna get him checked out. Rest and fluids should help."

Holleran watched as they wheeled Wordy toward the ER. God dammit. Team One was dropping like flies. The past few days had been so stressful on all of SRU but especially on Team One. He had seen them this morning.

They were all completely exhausted then. The dark circles clear indicators none of them had slept. He wondered when the last time they had really eaten either. He should have ordered them home. He should not have allowed them to be part of the rescue. God Dammit.

Holleran slumped into one of the chairs and pulled out his phone. He had some hard calls to make. He would call the Scarlatti's first since they were in the city. Next Mr. Callaghan, although he was doubtful he would come since he didn't bother to come when Jules was shot.

He would save the hardest for last, his long-time friend Will Braddock. He debated as to whether to contact Shelley Wordsworth. Then decided to wait to see how Wordy was feeling in an hour since it wasn't life threatening. With any luck that would be one call he did not have to make and worry Wordy's wife unnecessarily.

* * *

 _ **SRU HQ – Conference Room 3**_

He wanted to vomit. The bile rose in his throat. The physical and emotional pain Sam and Spike were put through was hard to watch. Connor leaned back in the chair and stared at the ceiling trying to get the images out of his head. What a sick bastard Vlad Reznik was.

Watching Sam stoically take hit after hit was bad enough but seeing the pain and guilt feelings etched into Spike's face at every hit was worse. At first he had wondered if Sam had a death wish by not answering the question if he had a girlfriend. His stubbornness was going to get him killed.

It wasn't until Vlad threatened Spike that Sam cracked. The look of utter bleakness on Sam's face as he said Jules name cut him to the quick. The man would have died himself before revealing her and only did so when Spike had been threatened. He could almost feel the breaking of the man inside as he watched Sam's face when he was forced to choose between Spike and Jules.

Connor wondered if a man could ever recover fully being pushed to that point. The absolute primal rage Sam showed when he broke the plastic ties was stunning to watch. Here was a man that knew how to kill. He could see it in his eyes. Vlad would have been dead if Sam had not been shocked again

Watching Spike care for Sam had been just as hard to see. There was steel determination in Spike's eyes and a gentle touch as he did what he could for his friend.

Both of those men complied only when the life of the other was in jeopardy. What he saw went beyond just friendship. He heard both call the other brother at some point. They truly acted as brothers. Connor wondered what could forge a bond so tight. Clearly something had happened to these two in the years they worked together to bind them tighter than many blood brothers he knew.

Hell Connor didn't know if he would be as dedicated to his own brother as these two were. Would he be willing to give his life for Callum? It disturbed him to think that his own self-preservation would kick in and he would be unwilling to go the same distance these two went for each other.

He leaned forward again. The tape was coming to a part he didn't want to hear again. His Alice. His sweet Alice was murdered. Her life cut short by a bloody madman. He forced himself to watch again. Each time he focused on a different person. This time he focused on Jules.

How did she do it? Where did she get the strength to talk calmly to Vlad? His suspicions of a secret relationship between Sam and Jules had been validated. So how did she stay so professional with her lover in the clutches of a madman bent on killing him?

Then he saw. He paused the video on her face just before she reached out with her palm up. He saw her eyes focused on Sam's chest. He saw the mix of fear, desolation and longingly. He rolled it just a second forward and saw the change in her eyes to one of hope and relief.

Connor rolled it back and zoomed in on Sam at that point. He watched closely trying to find what caused the change. He rolled it back several times not seeing it. Dammit what was he missing? He rolled it back again and zoomed out. He watched from the point where he had said 'You bastard you killed my daughter'.

Oh god that was it. She thought Sam was dead already. From this distance Sam appeared not to be breathing. She thought he was dead and was still coaxing the man to let them help him. Why? What did she gain by not taking the man down?

The sad truth struck him hard. Even if Sam was already dead Jules would not want to witness his brains blown out. So she had acted as if he was alive. He rolled the tape forward to the change in her eyes. They were focused on his chest. Yes there ever so slightly he could see the rise and fall of Sam's chest. Jules had realized he was still alive.

That was her only mistake. She had taken her eyes off the subject for a split second to check Sam's breathing. But in that moment she missed the change in Vlad's expression and therefore was not prepared for his attack.

His heart twisted for the woman who reminded him of his daughter. Under normal conditions something like this might result in a slight verbal reprimand. But if it was known that Sam and Jules were in a relationship it could be used as cause for dismissal of one or both of them. He needed to think on this.

Until he decided what to do he would put this video under lock and key. No one else would have eyes on it. He was glad now that he had taken this tape and headed back to SRU to watch it alone. It was a strong gut feeling he had when he had entered the video room at the house and he acted upon it. He left his CSI team at the house to gather the rest of the evidence.

He now understood why he gut yelled at him and he was glad he listened to it. It gave him time to determine what the right course of action should be. But part of him said he needed more information on both of them before he could pass judgement.

With that thought he decided to run his investigation from Toronto instead of heading directly back to Manchester. It made sense, at least for a while anyways because he needed to interview Sam and Spike directly. Given their injuries it could be some time before they were ready to give a statement; that is if they survived their injuries.

Images from the basement chaos assaulted him again. He felt the need to go to the hospital to see how Jules, Sam and Spike were doing and maybe offer support to anyone that might need it. He put the laptop with the video on it into his lockbox and sealed it. As he headed out of the room he met Pat and Pat in the hallway.

Patricia said "Detective McGillie, we were just coming to find you."

Connor responded "Found me. What do you need?"

"Yes. Well, we were wondering if you still needed us or if we could take off Sir?" Patrick said decidedly a bit uncomfortable. He and Patricia were very unsure of their position now that their secret was out.

It made him anxious and Patricia had become unusually quiet. Normally she would talk his ear off but she had said no more than a handful of words to him and only work related.

Connor considered the request. These two came immediately when apprised of the situation. They cut short their honeymoon to help strangers. They had succeeded where others failed for two days. He listened to his gut again and made a quick decision.

Smiling Connor stated "Officially you are still on the case. You are officially going on a fact finding mission for me to Brazil for the next week. I'll contact the local office there and have them start the investigation into Saul. At the end of the week I want you to pick up the report they will compile and bring it back to me here. I don't want to hear from either of you until you return."

Patrick eyed him curiously "Sir you are implying we will not be doing the investigation on Saul? If that is true then why are you sending us to Brazil if you don't want us to investigate him?"

"Oh you'll be investigating in Brazil, just not on Saul. I hear they have some wonderful beaches. I want you to investigate those and other locations you find interesting thoroughly. But I don't want any report on them, would be too private" Connor winked at them then chuckled.

Connor started to walk away then turned back to them "Contact my assistant Kelly, have her book your travel and hotel. By the way I hear congratulations are in order. I wish you both a long and loving marriage and partnership. I'll be putting in a good word for you two with your superiors. Consider that my wedding gift."

Pat and Pat stared at him mouths agape as they watched Connor stride down the hallway whistling a happy tune. Patrick found his voice "Well I'll be damned sweetheart. We just got our honeymoon after all." He leaned down and lightly kissed his wife of four days.

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Emergency Treatment Bay 4**_

The burning, the pain, something was stuck in her throat. She had to get it out. She reached up to grab it and found her arm restrained by a firm grip. She thrashed back and forth to get it out of the grip. She had to breathe and she needed to get it out. Out now.

"Relax now. That needs to stay in" the nurse was frantically calling as she tried to keep Jules from yanking out the tube. The patient was strong so very strong. Nurse Denise was calling out "I need help in here, Doctor! She is not calming down. I can't hold her any more. Help in here now. Ms. Callaghan relax."

Wordy had come out of his daze a while ago. They had forced him to drink several apple juices then told him to rest. It felt good to relax on the gurney. The past days had been taxing. He felt slightly embarrassed for passing out in the waiting room. But it was all so overwhelming and on top of that he couldn't remember when he had actually eaten, existing on coffee alone. Shel had tried to get him to eat but nothing stayed settled so he stopped eating.

He heard the yelling and commotion in the bay next to his wondering who was in trouble. Jules. Wordy was up off the bed in an instant when he heard the nurse say her name. He rounded the curtain to find Jules fighting to reach the intubation tube. Wordy grabbed her hands firmly and got close to her ear.

"Jules. Jules. Stop. Jules. Stop now. Relax." Wordy felt when she started to relax "That's right. Good girl. Relax. I'm right here. You are in the ER. You need that to help you breath. You need to leave it alone."

Wordy made eye contact with Jules and saw as the wild panic was slowly being replaced with understanding. He said "Okay you with me now? Can I let go?" Jules nodded slightly. Wordy released her hands and moved one of his to her face and brushed away the stray hair from her forehead.

"Relax Jules, you are going to be okay. I'm not going anywhere. It's all over." He saw panic rise again. He kicked himself for his stupid choice of words. Quickly he said "Sam and Spike are here too. They are getting the help they need. They are both still alive."

The panic receded but tears started falling from her eyes. She wanted to ask how they were but could not speak with the tube down her throat. She moved her hand trying to indicate writing.

Wordy interpreted her meaning "Shhhh. I only know they are being treated. They were air-evac'd here. When I know something I will let you know. Rest now. Do as the nice nurse tells you." Jules nodded as Wordy took a corner of the sheet and wiped her eyes dry.

He backed away a bit to allow the nurse access to make adjustments. When the nurse was done she turned to him and said "Thank you. I would have hated to restrain her. She seems calmer with you here. I'm going to get you a chair if you would like to stay with her until the doctor comes to examine her."

Wordy looked at Jules "Would you like me to stay?" His heart ached when he saw the tears falling again as she nodded slightly yes. The nurse went to grab a chair and Wordy moved back close to Jules and held her hand. This whole situation was driving them to their breaking points.

Sitting near her he simply held her hand. No words were necessary. He would be here for her right now and channel strength to her via his grip and presence.

Jules allowed her eyes to close. She could not stop the tears. Wordy's firm grip made her feel safe. She knew she screwed up. She had taken her eyes off the subject for just a moment. She briefly wondered what happened to the insane man. But her main thoughts were on Spike and Sam.

Oh god how badly were they injured? Spike needed CPR. Did he come back? Wordy said he was alive. But that could mean anything. Was he comatose? Was he too long without air? Would he be able to fight back? Would he recover? She just didn't know. Spike was rarely injured and usually it was only minor since he was usually in the truck unless it was a bomb call. Oh god did he have the strength to fight.

She had been avoiding allowing her mind to think on Sam. But once it latched on it wouldn't let go. Pain shot deep into her soul. Sam looked a complete mess and he was barely breathing. She knew he was strong and would fight but she didn't know what battle he was facing. Did he have enough strength left to fight? Would it be too much for him this time? Would he be looking for her and think she abandoned him because she was not there?

Jules wanted to be there to reassure him. To tell him to fight for them, for what they had together. That she could not live without him. She wanted to hold his hand as Wordy was doing for her. But she couldn't. She had screwed up so now he would fight alone. She forced her eyes open and pulled her hand from Wordy's and indicated she needed to write.

Wordy left a moment and returned with a pen and paper. It was hard to write through blurry tear filled eyes but she managed. When she was done she handed the paper to Wordy. There was pleading in her eyes. Jules had written ' _Don't let them be alone. Don't let them fall. I just got them back, I can't lose them again. Tell them I will kick their butts if they let go_ '.

She chose to use _them_ instead of _him_ because in truth both Sam and Spike were important to her. She could not care less if their secret got out now. She just wanted him to live. To fight to live.

Smiling Wordy said "I'll do just that Jules. We'll make sure they are not alone." He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "Same goes for you. We'll kick your butt if you give up."

Nurse Denise broke in speaking to Wordy "I'm sorry but the doctor is on her way and you'll have to leave now. I'll come get you from the waiting room after she is done with the examination and the scan."

Standing still holding Jules hand Wordy said reassuringly "I'm gonna go see if Greg and Ed are here. Let them know how you are doing. One of us will come back to you. You hang in there Jules and do exactly what they tell you too. Got that?"

Jules nodded. Wordy gave her hand a squeeze and then headed out to the waiting room area. He really did not want to leave her alone. She was so fragile right now, her eyes told him so.

As he headed out of the double doors he became unsteady and leaned against the wall for several minutes. Damn, part of him wanted to go lay back down. But he pushed off the wall and continued to the waiting room. Greg and Ed should be done with SIU by now.

Doctor Catherine Jepsen smiled as she approached the bed, picked up the chart and scanned it. Then she said "Hello Officer Callaghan. Good to see you finally awake. I'm Dr. Jepsen. Were gonna take you down for a scan to see if there is any damage to your windpipe. If there is none then the steroids should help reduce the inflammation. We will be keeping you intubated until there is no danger of the swelling closing off your airway. I've authorized for one visitor to stay with you in ER and then with you in ICU."

Jules watched as the nurse came forward with a syringe advancing on the IV. The doctor saw her eyes following it and explained "Just a bit of sedation and pain medication. The more you relax the easier it will be to breathe and the faster we can get the swelling down. You won't be too deeply out, more like a light sleep."

That sounded good to Jules right now. It hurt a lot physically but more emotionally. She hated running from her feelings but right now it hurt too much to face the truth. The truth; that she might lose one or both of the men who were such an important a part of her life.

Maybe in a drug induced sleep she could pretend this never happened. Maybe she could pretend she was having a movie night with Spike. Maybe she could pretend that she and Sam were tucked up safe and sound in her bed enjoying a lazy morning together. Damn these tears Jules thought as they began to fall again.

Dr. Jepsen watched as the sedation took effect. Then she began her examination in earnest. This would have been too painful to do if the officer was awake. She let out a deep sigh looking at the massive deep bruising. As her fingers gently probed she thought thank goodness she did not feel anything crushed or broken. She was fairly confident the scan would show the same.

At least she would have good news for the family and friends waiting. But she was not so sure Dr. Fraser or Dr. Draper would have good news because their SRU officer patients were in much worse shape. As Jules was rolled away for the scan Dr. Jepsen instructed Denise to let her know when the report came back. Then she headed to the doctor's lounge to grab some coffee while she waited for the scan results.

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Private Waiting Room**_

Greg, Ed, Bradley and Mike entered the private waiting room to find it occupied by an assortment of people. Bradley and Mike headed towards Team Two. Greg headed towards Mrs. Scarlatti, Spike's sister and Commander Holleran. Ed headed towards Colonel Ryan Braddock and Natalie Braddock. Off in the corner speaking softly were Steve, Jim and Connor.

As Greg approached Mrs. Scarlatti he realized that Holleran had called the families for him. He was grateful for the small reprieve of having to break the news. As he stopped near Mrs. Scarlatti he saw her tears and she reached out and hugged him. His heart tugged for her. Spike was her only son and she was stuck between her husband's animosity for Spike's choice of career and the love she had for Spike.

The young teary eyed woman was Spike's sister Gina. He had never met her before in all the years Spike worked with him. But he knew who she was from the picture in Spike's locker. She didn't live here so he deduced she must be here for a visit. He was glad she was here to offer her support to her mother.

Mrs. Scarlatti was always whipping up meals for anyone who was injured or ill. He was sure she did is on the down low so as to not anger her husband. Her meals were always received with zest and much appreciation. Food was how Mrs. Scarlatti showed she cared.

But right now it was Mrs. Scarlatti that needed the comfort and care and Greg was at a loss of what to do for her. So he did the only thing he could right now. He lightly patted Mrs. Scarlatti's back and let her hang onto him.

When she pulled out of the hug and looked directly at him with sad eyes he said with a catch in his voice "Lui è forte. Lui è un combattente. I medici faranno del loro meglio. Noi siamo qui per lui." (He is strong. He is a fighter. The doctors will do their best. We are here for him.)

He wanted to offer more reassurances to her but had no information to go on. So he asked Holleran "Any news so far on Spike, Sam or Jules?"

Holleran shook his head "No nothing yet."

Looking about the room it dawned on Greg that Wordy was missing "Where is Wordy?"

Holleran was about to answer when the waiting room door opened and Wordy entered slowly and a bit unsteadily.

Jim popped up, rushed over and grabbed Wordy's arm then guided him to a chair and forced him to sit "Man thank god you're looking a lot better. You actually have some color now." His hand automatically went to take Wordy's pulse.

Noting the pulse rate was normal now Jim relaxed a bit then continued "Did they let you up or did you escape? How ya feeling?"

Ed and Greg immediately honed in on the actions and words and joined them. Ed said with an air of concern "Wordy?"

"I'm okay. Just got a bit lightheaded" Wordy said nonchalantly trying to play it down.

Jim snorted "Lightheaded my ass. You sound like Blondie now."

Mimicking Sam's voice Jim said "Just a flesh wound Patch nothing to worry about." Switching to his own voice Jim continued "Yeah right Blondie, a knife sticking out of your dammed thigh is not a flesh wound. I'm thinking you pulled a Blondie and went AMA."

Ed, Wordy and Greg all noted the use of Blondie instead of Sam. Jim was anxious and worried. They knew him well enough to know Jim tended to revert back to Blondie when he was overwhelmed and scared Sam would not make it.

Rising from his crouched position Jim said "Wordy you stay in this chair. You need something; you ask for it, I'll get it. I don't want to see you leave that chair. Got it?" Wordy nodded yes.

Ed pinned his glared on Jim and demanded "Just what the hell happened? Explain." Jim told them what had happened to Wordy.

As he explained Greg and Ed kept shooting Wordy concerned glances but they saw Wordy looking around the room trying his best to ignore the fact he had passed out. He looked a bit embarrassed but Ed and Greg did not think any less of him for it. The past few days had been rough on all of them.

While blocking out what Jim was telling Greg and Ed, Wordy took in who was present in the waiting room. Strange mix. He realized with Ryan Braddock here it must mean that the General and Sam's mother were most likely out of country again.

Damn, it never failed Sam's father was far away when he was hurt; the General must be raging right now. Wordy was glad that he was not the one that had to call. And the woman, Natalie, he recalled is Sam's sister. They had just recently met her and he knew she was staying with him for a bit. She looked upset and scared but Ryan had his arm around her and was comforting her.

Then he saw Spike's mom and sister. He knew that Spike's father was too ill to come. His mother looked like she was about to have a nervous breakdown. He was glad Gina was here to comfort Mrs. Scarlatti. Team Two was all here too.

Wordy leaned back and closed his eyes. He was saddened for Jules. No blood family of hers here. He wondered if someone had tried to contact Mr. Callaghan. Probably. But this was likely to be just like when Jules got shot, none of them would bother to come.

How could they treat her like that? It boggled his mind. Jules was precious and priceless and deserved to be cared about and loved. Not discarded. He concluded that her father and brothers were just friggin idiots if they did not value her enough to be here when she needed comfort and support.

He was pulled from his musing when Ed touched his shoulder and said "You want me to call Shel to come get you? I will keep you updated on all their conditions. Honestly, buddy you look like crap and should go home and rest."

Looking up at Ed "No I'm staying. And if we are being honest here, you and Greg look like crap too" Wordy retorted mildly irritated at the suggestion he should leave. "I promised Jules. We would not let them be alone."

Greg who was standing at his other side softly ask "You saw Jules?"

Crap his mind was fuzzy still. He pulled out the note and explained how he had calmed her down. Ed and Greg's faces fell hearing how she was doing.

Wordy said "Nurse said one person can be with her after the doc checks her out. Boss I think it should be you. She's in a pretty vulnerable state right now. You can let her know that Ed and I have Sam and Spike covered. It will ease her mind." He handed him the note.

Greg read the note then passed it to Ed to read.

When he was done Ed said "I wouldn't put it passed her to get up and go kick their butts." That garnered a soft chuckle from both Greg and Wordy. Ed continued "Greg I agree with Wordy. Why don't you see if you can go back now? I'll make sure you get updated on Sam and Spike when we know anything."

About to respond Greg heard someone clear their throat in front of him. He looked over and saw Bradley and Mike standing there holding several sandwiches and juice boxes.

Bradley said "All they had left were turkey sandwiches and apple juice." He pushed a sandwich and box into Greg's hands. Then he repeated the motions with Ed and Wordy. "Sit and eat before you guys topple over. We have more than enough SRU personnel in hospital beds right now. Don't need to make it any more."

"Thanks" all three stated. Greg and Ed sat as instructed. They were wiped out and fatigue coupled with the stress of finding Sam and Spike nearly dead and Jules getting choked was rapidly catching up with them. Each was near the edge of their physical and emotional limitations.

Mike laughed a bit "Oh don't thank us yet. These are hospital sandwiches. Curtis and Gary are off to get some real food and coffee for everyone. Suspect it's gonna be a long night."

After sharing with Ed and Greg Wordy's true status Jim found a seat off in the corner away from everyone else. He called dispatch and told them he had a family emergency and needed a replacement for the rest of his shift. His boss agreed when he found out who was injured. His boss knew how much Sam meant to Jim and that Jim would be worthless in the field right now, too consumed with worry.

Jim picked this spot so he could keep a close eye on Wordy, Ed and Greg. Sam would want him too. There was nothing more he could do for Sam at the moment but he knew how much this team, his family meant to Sam. He wiped at the tears that threatened to spill knowing that Sam was out of his hands now. Sam was beyond what he could do for him. He had to trust the doctors to bring Sam back to them.

So he made it his mission to watch and do what he could for Sam's family. If possible keep them from pushing themselves too far as they all were wont to do when one of their own was hurt. And in this case it was three of their own. It made Jim feel good when he saw what Team Two had done; taking care of Team One in that small way, it meant a lot.

But Steve had truly pissed him off tonight. He had seriously considered decking Steve when he came in and saw him yelling at Wordy. He knew Steve was upset but that didn't justify yelling at Wordy, especially given Wordy's state. Steve better get his priorities straight and never cross the line again else he would deck him.

Jim was relieved and glad when he saw Steve get paged for a call and finally leave. He didn't want Steve here at all. Steve didn't belong. Steve was not family as far as he was concerned. He knew Steve had a thing for Jules but they were no longer dating. He also knew that Sam had issues with the guy and was still deeply in love with Jules even though they were just friends now.

One night several months ago they had gone out for drinks after Sam had a rather nasty day at work. Sam had imbibed more than normal; actually a hell of a lot more than normal. Sam never drank in excess so Jim had been really worried and kept asking probing questions.

With the large quantity of alcohol in his system Sam finally opened up and shared what was bothering him. Sam was upset that Jules had been held hostage that day. He had sneered angrily when he revealed that Steve stupidly had run into a restaurant and Jules felt she had to follow to protect Steve. He was completely pissed off that Steve did not listen to Jules who was the trained police officer. He was also pissed that Steve would take actions that put Jules in jeopardy.

Then Sam had poured his guts out to him. He had never known just how bad Sam wanted Jules; how much he loved her. He told him how they had secretly dated and how it had ended in a complete disaster and nearly cost him his life and his family. How he had not seen another woman since dating Jules. Then how Jules had left him a note that day saying they made a good team.

Sam was completely torn up that night. He had never before seen Sam ripped bare to the bone like that. He had to nearly carry Sam into his apartment then he had put him to bed. All Sam's defenses were stripped away when he started to cry and told him he could not be on that side of the bed, it was Jules side.

When he had shifted Sam to the other side of the bed Sam calmed down a bit. But the hurt in Sam's eyes sliced deep when Sam told him he wished he could have the woman he loved in his life like Jim had Heather. But that he couldn't because Jules needed the team more than she needed him. That he would just have to live with having the small part he could have with her.

What hurt Sam the most was that he had to let her go and be with a man who did not take care of her or protect her. That cared so little for her life that he blindly ran into that situation that could have killed her. He had to pretend it wasn't killing him to see that happen. He had to stand on the sidelines and smile like it was all okay. Sam had laughed and said no it's not okay it's fucking FINE. Then he had passed out.

He stayed and watched over Sam that night. In the light of the morning Sam had returned to his stoic expression and had claimed it was just the alcohol talking. That he was okay and glad to be Jules friend. He didn't believe him for a second but there was nothing he could do. It was Sam's choice. He had simply given Sam a hug and told him he would be there if he ever needed him.

At first he wanted to hate Jules for her need. But then he realized that Sam had the same need. This team was their family. Neither was ready to leave the family nest. It provided them both the acceptance and security they had never found in their blood families. So he couldn't hate Jules. In fact he really, really liked Jules.

Heather told him that she could see Jules was feeling the same sort of pain as Sam was. That she had faith that eventually the two of them would realize that their need as a couple was greater. That they had a rare and true connection and they would survive if one ever had to leave the team.

Jim just hoped that Sam and Jules still had time to figure it out. Jim was pulled from his thoughts as the waiting room door opened. He hoped it was one of the doctors. It wasn't.

A man in his early forties opened the waiting room door. He was surprised to see so many people in the room. He nervously swallowed at first wondering if he was directed to the wrong room. Then he clearly saw the SRU uniforms.

All eyes in the room were zeroed in on him. He cleared his throat and "I'm Aidan Callaghan. I was told Sergeant Parker was in here."


	13. Wordy's Secret, Defying Dad & Dr Reports

**Wordy's Secret, Defying Dad & Dr Reports**

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Private Waiting Room**_

Aidan waited nervously for acknowledgement that Sergeant Parker was indeed in the room. He was not ignorant of the not so veiled hostile looks thrown his way from several people. He stepped the rest of the way in and allowed the door to close behind him. He wasn't exactly sure what to expect although he hoped it would not be physical.

He swallowed again still waiting. His eyes landed on a group of three men sitting together. Two were in civilian clothes flanking the third that was in an SRU uniform. They looked horribly wrung out. But something drew him to the shorter bald man. It was his eyes.

Greg watched the man enter the room. Aidan looked apprehensive. He finished chewing his last bite of sandwich and washed it down with the apple juice as the man hovered at the entrance to the room. He was surprised to see Jules brother Aidan here. That surprise kept him mute longer than he would normally be.

Finally he rose from the chair and said "I'm Greg Parker." He watched as the man tentatively moved toward him. Then he said "Aidan you are Jules brother, right?"

Coming to a stop near Parker he responded "Yes. How is Jules?"

Greg watched the man's expression closely. In addition to the apprehension he saw true concern. He noted the cracked inflection in the man's voice and the glint of tears threatening to well in his eyes. It was so quiet in the room, all talking had ceased.

Clearing his own throat Greg replied "We have not heard from the doctors yet. What we do know is she was conscious a while ago and they are doing what is necessary to help her breath right now."

Aidan's hand shook as he absently ran one through his long brown hair moving it from his eyes. His voice still cracked as he said "I see. So what happened? My brother Brayden was a little light on the details when he called me. He only said she was injured at work and was here and to ask for a Sergeant Parker."

Ed had been stunned silent by the man's appearance. In his current emotional state he lost it. He stood up and got in Aidan's face and shouted "Why the hell are you here? You don't give a damn about her. She doesn't need to deal with your shit right now. She is fragile enough as it is with all she's been through the past few days. Why the hell are you here now?"

Aidan backed up several steps. The rage was flowing off the man in waves. He wanted to turn and run. He did not do well with confrontation and anger. He put his hands up in front of him palms out defensively as he took a few more steps backwards. He knew their anger was justified. He had abandoned Jules so long ago for fear of their father's wrath and disapproval. For that he was so ashamed.

Wordy saw the fear and remorse in Aidan's expression and rose quickly to put a restraining hand on Ed's shoulder. Ed looked back at Wordy ready to tell him to back off. But a single look at Wordy dissipated his rage. He turned back to Wordy and moved quickly as he caught him before he hit the floor "Wordy!"

Ed blinked and wondered where Jim came from. Jim had Wordy on his back on the floor and taking his pulse before Ed even realized what was happening. Ed breathed out again in shocked concern "Wordy?"

From his position on the ground Wordy saw the worried faces of Ed, Greg and Jim staring down at him. Oh crap, he had passed out again. He must have stood too quickly. "I'm okay. Guys really. I just stood a little too quickly I think."

Greg said "Wordy I'm going to call Shel. You are going to go home and rest. I'm brooking no argument from you. We will keep you informed on Jules, Sam and Spike. But buddy you need the rest."

"And you don't?" Wordy retorted bitterly, he was pissed that his body had betrayed him.

Ed quipped "That might be true buddy. But do you see either of us enjoying a nap on the hospital floor. I agree with Greg. We can call Shel or have one of Team Two run you home. But either way you are going home to rest."

Jim added "Wordy, you are beyond exhausted. You've pushed too hard. How do you think Sam and Spike and Jules would feel if they knew you didn't take care of yourself? You don't want to add to their worries now do you?"

Wordy looked at each of them. Dammit they were right. But he didn't like it one damned bit. He hated that his body was not as durable as it had once been. He hated having Parkinson's. He hated that at some point he would have to leave the team. For the most part he had it under control. But the last few days had fully taxed his body.

He realized that he had forgotten to take his pill today. He sighed and resigned himself to the fact that he would go home even though he did not want too. "Okay, I'll go home and rest. But when I come back I'm going to insist that you both leave and get rest too. Deal?"

Greg squeezed his shoulder "Deal."

Ed looked at Wordy reluctant to agree. He had a responsibility to Jules, Sam and Spike. He did not want to leave under any circumstance. But he also had one to Wordy and if the only way he would comply was to agree then he would agree. He would deal with the rest later when he would refuse to leave when Wordy returned. But first he tried to avoid agreeing "Now you want Shel to come or Mike to take you home?"

Wordy wasn't fooled Ed's evasive statement he said "Not leaving until you promise me you will go home and rest when I get back."

"Fine. I promise you I will rest when you get back" Ed huffed out.

Wordy almost laughed but he did grin as he said "Half way there Ed. I need you to promise you will go HOME and rest."

Ed glared at him. Damned Wordy knew him so well. Resigning himself to accept the condition Ed sighed and said "You win Wordy. I promise to go home and rest when you get back. But I don't want to see you back here for at least eight hours. We will call Shel with their status and if anything bad happens we will let you know immediately."

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Outside ER**_

Sitting in a wheelchair because Jim had insisted, waiting for Mike to bring the car up Wordy bristled. He wanted to be here for Sam, Spike and Jules. But his damned body wouldn't let him.

Jim watched Wordy for a moment then said "How long have you known?"

Wordy looked at him "What?"

"I said, how long have you known?" Jim repeated calmly.

"Known what?" Wordy asked somewhat confused but realization dawning.

Jim shook his head and crouched down to eye level with Wordy then pointedly looked at Wordy's slightly shaking hand then back to his eyes "How long?"

Ah hell, Jim knew. How he wasn't sure, but he was in the medical profession. But he couldn't reveal his secret. So he remained silent.

"I see. So not too long. You haven't told anyone. Still trying to process what it means for your future. You know they have some good drug therapies that will keep you a-symptomatic for years. But I think you should at least tell Parker." Jim said empathetically.

Wordy was stunned "Yeah, I know. I started on one."

Seeing the look of despair on Wordy's face Jim stated "Your life's not over, but you might need to make some changes. The stress of SRU might not be the best for you now. You need to take better care of yourself. Fatigue is a real thing with Parkinson's. Not something you should take lightly. You know they all would want what is best for you."

"You won't say anything will you?" Wordy asked.

Jim held contact with Wordy's eyes and said "No. It is not my place. Also the whole patient/doctor privilege thing means quite a bit to me. Your secret is safe with me. But I urge you to think about how this affects not only you but the others. I know how much the team means to you. They are family. I know you have to sort it out in your own mind first. It's got to be a tough blow that shook you to the core."

Jim stopped and realized his choice of words "Sorry, bad choice of words."

Wordy chuckled despite himself "No worries. I guess I'll be good for making 007's martinis since he prefers them shaken not stirred."

Grinning Jim said "True. But not for a long time yet. Wordy, I trust that you will do the right thing. The team means the world to you. I know you would never willingly put them in danger. You'll know when it is the right time to leave."

Seeing Mike approaching in the SUV Jim quickly added "If you need anything at all you call. Blondie's family is important to him, therefore important to me. I can't do anything more for him now but I can do my best to make sure you all are okay."

Mike put the SUV in park and Jim opened the passenger door as Wordy moved to get in.

Once Wordy was buckled in the passenger seat he looked to Jim and said "Thanks Jim. You take care of yourself too. You are just as important to Sam as the team is. You are his family too." Jim nodded and headed back inside. Mike drove off.

From the bench near the door Connor had watched the whole interaction. He had come out for a breath of fresh air as the tension in the waiting room had risen. Teams and secrets. Wow this one was a doosie. He saw a deep seeded need to protect one another on this team.

They were tight, tighter than many families. He wondered how they would react to a relationship between Jules and Sam. Would they be accepting or would they see it as a betrayal of some kind? Connor rose and headed back inside.

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Private Waiting Room**_

When the focus of the room had transition to Wordy, Natalie saw the new arrival back off to a corner. She went to him. He looked alarmed she thought. Ed could be very intimidating from what Sam had said, and he was right, Ed was downright scary when he yelled at that man.

But she was used to raging men. No one raged better than her dad. So unfazed Natalie extended her hand "Hi I'm Natalie Braddock, Sam's sister. Did I hear you are Jules brother?"

Aidan looked at the pretty blonde woman. She was smiling and talking to him. Maybe she didn't know. He said "Yeah, Jules is my baby sister. I'm Aidan."

Natalie wanted to put him at ease so lightly joked "I'm Sam's baby sister. You're not gonna smother her are you. We baby sisters hate it when our over-protective brothers do that." She noted that her comment was not taken well at all. The man actually blanched and his eyes had a look of shame in them.

"I uh, well. No I'm not here to smother her. Just need to know she is okay then I gotta leave" Aidan stammered out.

"Oh" Natalie said softly wondering what was up. Clearly something was amiss given Ed's reaction. She didn't really know the team other than what she had overheard Sam tell their parents over the years. She knew that Ed was the protective one. She took pity on the man.

She touched his upper arm gently "How about we sit over here and wait for the doctor."

They moved together and sat. Natalie quietly watched him waiting for him to make the first move to speak. She could tell he was thinking and did not want to interrupt him. She glanced over and watched as Greg and Ed talked Wordy into going home.

Aidan sat as his mind reflected how he came to be here. Brayden had been at their father's house when the call had come him. Dad had been in the bathroom so Brayden answered the phone for him. It was a call from Commander Holleran informing them that Jules had been injured.

He got the call from Brayden when he was in the Toronto airport waiting for his connecting flight back home. Brayden said he had to talk fast that dad was almost out. But he knew Aidan was in Toronto and that he would want to know Jules was hurt. They were both defying their father by making contact with Jules.

Over the past few years he and his brothers had been questioning shunning Jules. It had never felt right; she was their little sister after all. But their father was a strict authoritarian and ruled the family with an iron fist. Aidan was ashamed it had taken him until his forties to finally get up the nerve to defy him.

But defy him he would. Jules was hurt and she needed to know that he, Brayden, Finley and Keagan still cared about her. That they wanted to reconcile with her. That they missed her very much. That they were beyond sorry for how they treated her. That they hoped she could forgive them.

Looking around the room he was surprised to see so many people here for Jules. He knew his sister was a spitfire and was probably well liked by many. But how in the world did so many people know she got hurt and why did they come to the hospital?

All the SRU he could understand. But the blonde, the Air Force Colonel, the Italian mother, the medic and the others. Jules must be important to a lot of people.

Aidan looked at Natalie and said "So why are you here? How do you know Jules?"

Natalie's face fell a bit. She had been trying hard to hold it together. Uncle Ryan had explained what happened but Aidan's question brought it crashing back. She was able to get one word out that answered both questions "Sam."

Aidan saw the tears forming and was confused by her answer "What do you mean Sam? Who is Sam?" Wrong thing to say. The tears fell and quiet sobs started. Aidan looked around helplessly. Everyone was still focused on the man on the floor.

He looked back at her. He was clearly missing something here. He hated being in the dark. He reached out a hand and lightly patted her back awkwardly. "Hey I'm sorry. I'm sorry to make you cry." He looked around again. No one was looking in their direction.

After a moment Natalie pulled herself together. What would the General think if he saw her crying? Daughters of Generals were to be more composed she told herself. Crying didn't help Sammy. So she took a deep breath and wiped her eyes.

She looked at Aidan and said "Not your fault. It's just I'm so worried about Sam. I'm also worried about Jules and Spike. It's just so bad. Uncle Ryan said that none of them were breathing on their own when they were brought in. Said that Sam had coded once before they air-evac'd him and Spike."

Aidan recalled the introduction, Sam's sister. Jesus, more than one officer was hurt. That would account for the mixed bag of people in the waiting room. He wondered just what had happened. "Do you know how they were injured? My brother didn't tell me anything other than Jules was hurt."

Natalie shared with him what she knew and watched him blanch at the details. Then curiosity got the better of her. This was the brother of Jules. Sam was dating Jules, well not 'officially', even though that was clearly Jules's toothbrush on his sink. She would keep her mouth shut tight on what she knew.

However this was Jules's brother and she was curious about Jules family. If Sam had it as bad as she thought he did for Jules it wouldn't hurt to know a little about her family.

So she asked bluntly "Why did Ed yell at you? What did he mean when he said you don't give a damn about her and she shouldn't have to put up with your shit?"

Blowing out a breath Aidan looked at her "I deserved that and more, much, much more. I don't want to go into the details. Suffice to say I haven't seen Jules in more than a decade. I just hope she can forgive me for not taking action sooner."

Natalie didn't like the sound of that. It smacked of abandonment. Something she had issues with herself. But she didn't feel it was her place to say anything or pry further. Instead she said "Well I'm sure she will be happy to see you now. Crisis can bring families back together. It did mine."

Aidan looked at her surprise registering "Really?"

Natalie saw the hope and doubt flicker across his face. "Yeah, we almost lost Sam a few years ago. He was shot bad. In a coma for weeks, he had to fight hard to survive. He came home to recuperate. The entire family rallied around him. We healed some really old, deep wounds. We made a fresh start. Still some bumps here and there but, yeah crisis can bring families back together."

She shifted in her seat "I'm going to get some coffee, would you like some?"

He nodded "Thanks, cream no sugar."

"Ah just like Jules likes it" Natalie clamped her hand over her mouth. Shit she only knew that because Jules stayed the night last week and Sam made coffee for her in the morning. She saw Aidan look at her strangely so she just hurried away. Crap she was always putting her foot in her mouth without trying.

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Surgery Recovery Room**_

His eyes felt so heavy. Sound filtered in here and there. He wasn't quite sure where he was at. His brain was fuzzy. He could have sworn he was just lying on a beach with Lou.

But then a huge wave had engulfed them and he struggled to make it to the surface. As he tried to kick to the surface seaweed had wrapped around his arm and kept him down. Lou had tugged and tugged trying to release him. The sadness in Lou's eyes as he registered he could not get the seaweed off had been unbearable to see.

Lou had whispered to him "Not your time. Not your time. You can't join me on the beach yet." The seaweed had miraculously been released and he was propelled to the surface. On his way up he saw Lou smile at him and say "Good. See you later bro. Much, much later. I'll be here when it is your time."

Sounds penetrated more fully now. He heard the beeping and a regular whooshing sound. Voices started to appear. He caught bits and pieces of what they said. He forced his eyes open. It was bright. He squinted then blinked several times. Someone was talking to him.

He saw the face and the lips moving but it was not connecting to his brain. He blinked a few more times and tried to swallow. It was then he felt the obstruction in his throat. He tried to move his hand only to find it secured at his side. Something soft encircled his wrist that prevented him from lifting his hands. It registered he was cuffed to the bed.

Spike refocused on the face in front of him. The lips and sound finally connected and he heard the man saying "Officer Scarlatti you are okay. You are in the hospital."

He yanked his hands and blinked rapidly unable to ask why he was restrained if he was okay. Dr. Draper saw the movement. Patients waking on a ventilator always fought and tried to pull the tubing out. "Ah the restraints. For your protection. Don't want you pulling the tubing out by yourself. Relax it will be easier if you don't fight it. Let it do the work for you right now."

Spike nodded. He now recognized the face of the doctor. He had treated him several times before. He relaxed his hands letting them lie limp on the bed. He eyed the doctor willing him to tell him his status.

Dr. Draper gave him a little grin "Gave us a bit of a scare there. You're gonna be okay but I need to keep you on the ventilator for a bit longer. You inhaled quite a bit of water."

Spike suddenly became very agitated. My god Sam. He needed to know about Sam. He began struggling against his restraints. He tried to talk around the tube.

"Calm down now" Dr. Draper ordered firmly. "NOW or I'll have to sedate you."

The words penetrated his panicked state and he fell immobile again except for one hand trying to make writing motions. The nurse saw it and said "Dr. Draper I think he needs to say something important. Look at his hand."

"If I released this you will not touch the tube." Dr. Draper said sternly. Spike nodded. The cuff was released and a pen put in his hand. The nurse held the clipboard for him. Spike wrote one word 'Sam?' It took all his energy. He lay limp and almost unable to keep his eyes open. Hope and worry clouded his eyes as he waited.

Draper looked at the word then responded "Sam is still in surgery. Last I heard he was holding his own. Now, we need to focus on you. I needed you to wake after your surgery but now I'm going to sedate you for a while. Your lungs need a break."

Spike had slipped out while the doctor was speaking as exhaustion overtook him. He had heard what he needed. Sam was still alive. Spike was confident that if Sam made it this far he would make it all the way.

Looking at the nurse Dr. Draper sighed. "This team constantly surprises me. They seem to care more about the others then themselves. Give him the sedative and pain meds. Then move him to ICU. I'm going to talk to his family." The nurse nodded and pushed the meds via the I.V. then set about prepping him to move to ICU.

As the doctor turned to leave he saw Dr. Fraser and Dr. Mallard following the gurney with Sam into the recovery room. He waited as the nurses and the doctors did their initial post-surgery checks.

Dr. Fraser looked at Dr. Draper "How's Spike?"

"Stable, but we need to watch for complications, infection and pneumonia. He woke and was aware. He asked about Sam. Less concerned about cognitive impairment now. He's sedated now. So how's Sam?" Dr. Draper answered and then asked.

Fraser nodded "Glad to hear. With Sam it was touch and go a few times. He is still critical and not out of the woods but I'm cautiously optimistic he's gonna live up to his name once again. Let me clean up a bit and we can go talk to the team together assuming you haven't already gone."

"No I was just about to head out when you arrived. It's gonna be tough for them to hear everything. I think Dr. Jepsen was just finishing her review of Jules scans. Let's make a threesome. While you clean up I'll go get her" Draper said.

"Sounds good" Fraser said then turning to the other doctor he stated "Dr. Mallard, thanks for the assist. Working both wounds at the same time likely saved Sam. Seemed he was losing blood faster than we could pump it in. Much appreciated."

"My pleasure, this young man is sure a fighter" Dr. Mallard replied. Then he asked "What do you mean he lived up to his name?"

Draper and Fraser and several of the nurses laughed. Then Fraser said "Just check out the patient status board." He walked out to rid himself of his bloodied scrubs before talking to the team.

Dr. Mallard watched him and Dr. Draper leave. Sometimes it sucked being the new guy. Too many inside jokes to come up to speed on. He looked at the blonde officer and thought. You are one hell of a fighter. He then walked to the nurses' station and looked at the status board. He saw several names written Mr. Nevel, Ms. Dawson, and Mr. Bensen.

Then he saw two distinct nicknames instead of the normal names. SPIKE and SAMTASTIC were written in all capital letters. He looked at the two officers that were currently next to each other. Nurse Clare came up behind Dr. Mallard and said "Yeah Samtastic sure lives up to his name each and every time. Just wish he didn't visit us so damned often. Spike gave him the nickname. I agree with Heather it is much better than Blondie."

Then Clare walked over to the nurse readying Spike for transfer to ICU. "Hey Gayle, when you are up there, see if you can arrange two rooms close to Jules. That way the other guys can pop in and out of each of their rooms."

Gayle smiled and agreed to try as she started to push Spike's bed out of the recovery room. She stopped a moment and said "Who's running the pool this time and what are the odds?"

Clare laughed "Richie's running it. Not sure the odds but I've got twenty on eight days tops. Not going for the AMA one though. The team has his number on that one and has ways to prevent it now. Remember when they roomed him with Ed. Think they might try rooming him with Spike this time. Though they might have better luck rooming him with Jules, Spike's a bit of a push over for Sam. Jules would kick his ass if he tried to leave before the doctor's said he could."

Gayle laughed "I don't know about that. Remember the how mother hen Spike was that night they brought Sam in with the vitreous hemorrhage. The nurses on the sixth floor couldn't get Spike to leave for four days."

Dr. Mallard looked aghast at Clare "Are you two betting on a patient?" Clare smiled broadly and nodded yes. Shocked he asked "Why would you do that?"

Clare looked at Dr. Mallard like the answer was completely obvious but said "Because he's Samtastic and we like him."

"Why do you want to get rooms close together in ICU?" he then asked still trying to wrap his head around her last answer.

As Gayle continued out with Spike Clare answered him "Because they treat each other like family and they would want to be close to each other to support one another. They put their lives on the line to protect the citizens of this fine city. So when their job lands them in here we do what we can for them. It's the least we can do and it's the little things that count the most with them."

Dr. Mallard listened closely. He smiled no longer upset. His colleagues actually cared about the patients. He was going to like working here. "So you really think he's gonna make it out of here in eight days with wounds like that?" he asked Clare disbelievingly.

Clare walked over to check Sam's vitals "Yeah. I do." Leaning close Clare whispered "Come on wakey, wakey, Samtastic. Show me your gorgeous blue eyes. I wouldn't mind losing the bet if you want to make it less than eight days."

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Private Waiting Room**_

Three doctors entered to a packed waiting room just as they expected. Many of the faces were familiar but a few were new.

Dr. Jepsen started "For those who do not know me I'm Dr. Jepsen. I treated Jules today. I'm happy to report that there is no damage to her windpipe. There is significant bruising and inflammation. The steroids are helping to reduce that. However it will be a day or two before I'm comfortable removing the breathing tube."

Looking a Greg she continued "Jules is in ICU now resting comfortably. I have given her a light sedation. It helps reduce the anxiety of having a tube down your throat and the more relaxed she is the easier it will be for her to breath. Once she is off the ventilation we'll move her to a regular room and keep her an additional day for observation. Any questions?"

Ed said "Just one, when can we see her and how many can be with her?"

Dr. Jepsen smiled "As soon as Fraser and Draper give you their reports I'll have the nurse take you up. We don't want to overwhelm the ICU so only two at a time for a short visit. But knowing you guys I'll authorize one to stay with her after visiting hours."

Ed smiled at her and said "Thank you." They knew them well now. They had stopped trying to kick them out years ago and simply acquiesced with their demands to stay with whoever was in the hospital.

Dr. Draper cleared his throat "I'm Dr. Draper. Spike is in my care and is in stable but guarded condition. He is in the process of being moved to ICU right now. He inhaled quite a bit of water so his lungs are having a bit of difficulty. He too is on a ventilator. I do not have an estimate of how long it will be needed. He will be monitored closely and when we believe his lungs are capable we will remove it."

He saw the older woman and assumed it was Spike's mother. Looking at her he said "Mrs. Scarlatti?" She nodded. He continued "Your boy is doing well. We will need to watch for complications but he is strong. Surgery to repair the damage of the gunshot wound to his arm went very well. I was worried at first that it had damage the ulnar nerve but luckily it did not and damage to the muscle was minimal. The laceration wound on the other arm was not too deep and only required stiches."

Switching to Greg he continued "The laceration on his head required six stitches as well. He likely suffered a mild concussion too. He has some minor bruising and abrasions which should heal without issue. All in all it is the lungs I'm most worried about. And as I said we will be monitoring those closely. Same rules for visitation apply for Spike too. Any questions?"

Gina hesitantly asked "What kind of complications could there be?"

Dr. Draper responded kindly "There is the possibility of bacterial infection. We have no idea what microbes were in the water he inhaled. If infection starts it could turn into pneumonia. So we will be monitoring his temperature closely and add antibiotics if the need arises. Any other questions?"

Waiting a few moments to see if there were any Dr. Fraser started when most had shaken their head no. Focusing on no one in particular he said "Alright that leaves us with Sam. He is in critical condition but I am optimistic. Sam suffered two gunshot wounds; one to the upper thigh and one to his shoulder. As a result he lost a considerable amount of blood. It was the blood loss combined with dehydration more than the actual wounds that resulted in him going into cardiac arrest. He is still receiving blood transfusion and fluids. All tests show no permanent damage to his heart. Both the gunshot wounds were through and through with minimal damage to muscles. Although he will require some rehab."

He took a breath and let them absorb the information then continued "Sam also sustained blunt force trauma to his head. It was a significant blow and there is a hairline fracture of his skull. The swelling concerned me at first but the scans show that it is all exterior swelling. The blow surely caused a concussion but until he wakes I will not know how bad it is. The blow looks to be several days old and I have no idea if he has been conscious since the hit. If he hasn't it could mean he will slip into a coma."

Connor interrupted "Excuse me. But yes he was conscious. By his movements though it appears he was definitely suffering from a concussion."

Dr. Fraser looked at the unknown Englishman "And how do you know this?"

"I watched the video tape of their torture. He was conscious the first day. Was able to stand and walk barely. It appeared he passed out the first night. He was conscious and responding verbally the second day during the beating and shot to the thigh."

Ryan Braddock stiffened. William would definitely not like knowing there was an actual video of the torture. He would need to speak to Connor about the video soon. But now was not the time.

Ed had no such filter at the moment and said "The bastard videotaped what he did to them?"

Connor responded "Unfortunately yes he did. We can discuss that later. Doctor please continue."

Fraser had quickly mulled over what the Englishman shared and smiled "That is good news." At several confused looks he clarified. "Not the video. I mean about him being conscious after the hit. It means his unconscious state is likely due to the cumulative trauma instead of directly related to the head wound. Which although that sounds bad is actually better."

He flipped through his notes a moment then said "In addition to the severe beating of his face and torso, mostly to the torso there are signs he was tasered multiple times. I'm not exactly sure what caused the lacerations on his wrists and ankles. Whatever it was cut fairly deeply but they should heal with minimal scaring."

Again Connor interrupted "He was bound to a chair with plastic zip ties. He broke free of them and tried to go after his captor. Almost reached him before he was tasered again."

Ed and Greg both saw that Natalie paled considerably at the information. They shared a look then Greg said to Connor "Connor I think it best if we let the doctor continue with his report. We can discuss the how's of his injuries in a briefing." Greg had been looking right at Connor but let his eyes quickly flick to Natalie.

Connor groaned inwardly. How could he have been so callous and unthinking? Poor girl she looked ready to faint. Surely she did not need to hear how her brother had been tortured. He said "You are quite right. I'm sorry for my lapse in judgement. Please forgive me Natalie."

Natalie gave him a weak smile "It's okay. Sammy's been hurt badly before. I've only seen the aftermath though." Then very softly with a small croak she said "I never really wanted to know how it happened though. Watching him go through the pain of getting better was bad enough."

Ryan wrapped a protective arm around her "And Sam will get better this time too Nat. Right?"

Bucking up Natalie said stronger "Yes he will. Does Sammy have any other injuries doctor?"

Looking at Natalie Dr. Fraser responded "Unfortunately yes he does. X-rays show he has several cracked ribs. Those are several days old though. But right now it is the infection and accompanying high fever that is most concerning. We have started him on a high dose broad spectrum antibiotic. He is in recovery right now. We will be moving him to ICU in a while. He will stay in ICU until we can bring the fever down and he wakes up."

He gave Natalie as small smile "Good news is that we have removed him from the ventilator and he is breathing well on his own. I was worried about his lungs given his history but they look fine. However, we will keep him on supplemental oxygen as he fights the infection. Does anyone have any questions?"

Natalie asked softly "Can I see him now, before you take him to ICU. He needs to know he is not alone. I don't want him to be alone."

It was so against hospital policy but he could not deny her. The pain and sadness in her simple plea had touched his heart. Dr. Fraser said "Come with me."


	14. Sibling Memories & Ed and Greg Thoughts

**Sibling Memories & Ed and Greg Thoughts**

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Recovery Room**_

Natalie slowly approached Sam's bed. Her face fell into a soft sad frown as her bottom lip quivered slightly and her eyes glinted with unshed tears. She gently reached out and held his hand. "Oh Sammy" came out in a breathless sigh.

Never had she seen him directly after being hurt. It was usually days, weeks or months after. She never handled it well seeing Sam, her strong big brother hurt or in pain. She leaned close and whispered next to his ear "Sammy I'm here. You are not alone."

As she gazed at Sam she recalled her conversation with Aidan. He hadn't seen his sister in a decade. It made her think of growing up with an absentee father and brother. When she was little she did not understand why she only got to see them every few months and during the summer. For years she had thought it was something she had done; that somehow she wasn't worthy of her father's time.

She always thought that Sam was the lucky one getting to live with him all those years. Getting to be home schooled while she had to go to the base school. That Sam got to spend all that time with their dad. It wasn't until she was about ten that she began to see the first signs of a horrible truth. It was only a little glimmer but Sam's sixteenth birthday and the days just following began the slow process of opening her eyes.

On his sixteenth birthday the house was empty and quiet with just her, her mom, her dad and Sammy. She was surprised that her father and Sammy were in Ottawa. She couldn't ever remember Sammy being in Ottawa; her mom and she always went to visit them in the desert. She supposed they came because she had gotten pneumonia and had been in the hospital.

She had gotten to come home from the hospital the day before Sammy's birthday. Creeping down the stairs silently because she wasn't supposed to be out of bed she had been surprised to find no balloons or streamer decorations anywhere in the house. It was his birthday, where was the fanfare that always accompanied celebrating a Braddock kid's birthday?

Finding Sam alone in the library sitting at the desk with his nose in a book she kinda of felt bad for him that he had to study on his birthday. When she asked him what he was studying he had blandly said military strategy. Then he had promptly scooped her up and carried her back to bed. When he tucked her in he told her to stay in bed or she would get in trouble with the General for not following orders.

As he headed out of her room she asked him why there were no decorations for his birthday party. He paused and turned back to her. The look on his face was sad for a moment then he asked her if she wanted him to read to her. Sammy read her two favorite short stories then lightly yanked her braids twice and told her to behave and to get some sleep. After her door closed she realized he didn't answer her and she was confused by the lack of celebration for his birthday.

Crawling out of bed and sitting at her craft table she set out to make a birthday card for him. She had been very sick and did not get to go with her mom to shop for a gift for Sammy. So a card would be all she had for him this year. She felt bad because she and mom liked birthday shopping for Sam. She always got to pick out whatever she wanted to give him. Then they would go to the post office to mail it to him in the desert. With not having a gift to give him she worked extra hard on trying to make the card special.

When she was finally done she padded quietly down the stairs again heading towards the library wanting to give it to him now to cheer him up. She was at the door about to enter the library when her mom asked Sam who he would like to invite over for his birthday.

She had stood outside the library and watched as her father yelled at Sam for not answering quick enough. And then again when he told their mom he didn't wish to invite anyone over for his birthday. Why didn't he want to invite any friends over she had wondered?

Natalie was not surprised to see that Sam had clamored out of the chair and come to attention. But it was the first time she began to think it odd. He never did that with her or their mom but Sammy always did that with their father. Then it also struck her as odd that he always referred to their dad as Sir or the General. He never called him dad or father.

It made her sad when their father punished Sam and made him do two hundred push-ups then sent him to his room. That wasn't nice; it was his birthday after all. There should be balloons and laughter and fun. Not push-ups and being yelled at. She ducked into a corner and hid as he left the library for his room.

Waiting for a few minutes she then quietly followed him and snuck into Sam's room. With a huge smile on her face she intended to give him her homemade birthday card; she had worked extra hard on making it and she hoped he would like it. But her smile faded when she found him curled in a tight ball and crying into his pillow.

Part of her wanted to crawl up next to her big brother and tell him it would be alright. But she didn't because his intense cries really, really scared her. The whimpering sounds he made were so sad like he hurt so badly. She had no clue why. Her big brother was always so strong and protective of her. What could make him cry like that? After a few minutes she couldn't take it and she silently slipped out of the room.

After closing the door quietly she had gone directly to her mom and dad and told them Sam was crying. Dad got angry at first and stormed around the room yelling. Mom calmed dad down after several minutes then said she would take care of Sammy and left the room. Her dad then picked her up and carried her back to bed. He gently told her that she had to stay in bed to get better and he stayed with her lightly rubbing her back until she fell asleep.

Sam never knew she saw him cry and she never had a chance to give him the birthday card. Two days later Sam was gone and he never returned home. That had confused her a lot. Her dad was angry, so very angry. She wondered what Sammy did that was so bad he was sent away?

Over the next six years she would occasionally get a short letter from Sam and always a card and a small gift on her birthday. He came home to visit a few times after he joined the Army. He never stayed more than a few hours and always stayed in a hotel if he had to stay overnight. But he missed most family gatherings including Christmas saying he was on duty and unable to get leave.

The few times he did come he was distant and aloof. He was so different from everyone else in the family. He rarely smiled and he was always so serious. All her cousins were jokesters and smiled all the time but Sammy was always so closed off.

On her sixteenth birthday in a house full of balloons, streamers, festive music, and friends and family there to celebrate she opened the card she had received from Sam. She was miffed because he didn't come to her birthday because he was in Special Forces training. She had yelled at him when he called last week to tell her he couldn't make it. She accused him of never caring about anyone but himself; that if he was a true big brother like Scott and Adam were to their sister's he would be here for her.

Even though she had been really mean to him on the phone he had still sent her a sweet sixteen card with a twenty dollar bill. She was confused but mom and Bella both gasped when they all saw a bright shiny penny taped inside with 'I'm sorry I failed to be there for your party. I hope you had fun with your family and friends. Keep this with you always. It is a promise I'll be there if you are ever alone and need help. I will not fail to protect a sister again' written below it.

Natalie had watched as her mom quickly wiped away a tear then said almost too brightly 'time for cake and ice cream' then swiftly exited the room with Bella hot on her heels. Later when things quieted down and all her friends had gone home she was looking at the penny in her hand. His message really disturbed her for some reason. As she flipped the penny over and over in her fingers she began thinking.

The first part that disturbed her was he had said 'your' family not 'the' or 'our' family. Then she recalled how bleak Sam's sixteenth birthday had been. Then she thought back further and try as she might she could not remember a single party for Sam's birthday like they had for her and every single solitary cousin.

Granted he was at the desert base for his birthday but none of the family ever traveled there like they did with the other cousins when they were stationed in different places. And Sammy never had any friends over for a party either. It was always just the four of them and maybe one or two of Sam's tutors.

The part about not failing a sister again niggled in the back of her mind too. What did he mean again?

Then Sara popped into her head. She rarely thought about her. She had only been three when Sara died and didn't really remember her. But Sammy had been nine, so he would remember her. She got up and sought out her oldest cousin Scott. He would remember Sara too because he was seventeen when Sara died.

Maybe he would know what Sammy meant by failing a sister again. When she found him she asked him why Sammy was so different from the rest of family. Why they didn't celebrate his birthday like everyone else's. Scott had looked reluctant to say anything. But she became insistent and cornered him and asked if it had anything to do with Sara's death.

Finally he relented and told her of Sara's death and how Sam unjustly blamed himself. Then she asked if he knew why Sammy was sent away when she was ten and he was sixteen. When Scott finished telling her about what happened at the high school and the rest of it, all the little pieces she had been noticing since she was ten years old clicked into place.

The impact to her brother had been devastating in so many ways. But she was just old enough to also realize he was not the only one impacted. It had ripped a huge hole in the fabric of their family. No one was left unscathed by it; not their mom, not their dad, not the extended family and not her.

She knew it had also profoundly affected her life. It robbed her of a happy childhood spent with her father and brother. It was that day she decided that life was too short and that there was no time like the present to party because it could all be taken away in an instant. She became the flighty, un-grounded, self-centered party girl.

Most thought her simply shallow and uncaring. But the true reason was that she never wanted to get too close to anyone and never depend on anyone too much. Because she knew that if they were ripped from her it would hurt too much. She would do anything necessary to never feel pain she witnessed in Sammy on his sixteenth birthday.

It wasn't until after Sam started with SRU and had been shot in the chest that she began to realize that she was piddling her life away doing nothing important. It was a slow process trying to change and she knew she had burned a lot of bridges and made so many mistakes. She was still making mistakes too.

But she was truly trying to change her ways. She was trying to take the chance on letting people get close. She was trying to care more for others than herself. She wanted to be more like Sam and find some place where she could belong; to start making meaningful connections with people.

Sam was disheveled and so tired when she showed up at his apartment late one night over a month ago. As he rubbed his sleep deprived eyes he asked gruffly what she wanted. She put the penny in his hand and asked if she could stay with him until she got a job. It had shocked him she still had it eight years later.

Brushing through his hair now she thought Sam was true to his word to be there for her even though she exasperated him to no end over the past month. It had been very rough at first. She made some big mistakes, like using his account without asking. She should have asked first.

God that day she had finally met Sam's team at SRU HQ had started off so awful. Thank goodness it had actually ended up being one of the best days of her life. It was a true turning point for her. When Sam came home from his shift with the pizza and told her to stay, things changed between them for the better.

She recalled dragging her luggage behind her and then looking up to see Sam reading her note and she had told him " _I'm gonna clear out and you can have your life back._ "

Sam surprised her when he responded " _You're already in my life, okay? I've been an idiot. I want you to stay with me._ "

It felt really awkward. They had never been touchy, feely, huggy types but she needed to express how she felt. So she asked " _Is this the part where I'm supposed to give you a hug?_ "

In only a way her big brother could pull off he made her feel comfortable by simply saying " _You can grab us a couple of beers._ "

After getting the beers and a few more honest but awkward words about not having anyone to cook for she asked " _So … Jules?_ "

He tossed his beer cap on the counter, grabbed the pizza and headed for the great room. The look on his face and his simple elongated " _Yeah_ " made her realize it was complicated.

It made her think and then she did something so out of character, she really thought of someone other than herself for the first time in years. Following him into the room she said " _This is probably not my place ... I mean, who am I to say this ... but. The way I see it, Sammy, you've got this woman and you've got this job and the sneaking around ...? It's not much of a five-year plan."_

Then she sincerely asked " _Do you hear what I'm saying? You. You have one life. What do you want?_ "

He had stood staring out the window for a long time. She thought that perhaps she had totally crossed the line with her big brother. But then he turned to her and said "I want Jules. She is the one. She has always been the only one for me since I laid eyes on her and she drew her gun on me. I'm willing to risk everything to be with her."

Sam then sat down and sighed "I've waited so long for her. If I have to break the rules and sneak around in order to be with her. Then that's what I have to do. I cannot live without her. I cannot be alone anymore. It hurts too much to be alone."

They spent the rest of the night talking. They watched the sunrise together. Finally all the hurts and misunderstandings between them had been dealt with and mostly resolved. Both had come to realize that each had felt abandoned but had reacted in opposite manners. Sam had become closed off and serious and she had become the party girl. But they recognized that each had done that to keep people at a distance.

But now Sam had found the one for him. The one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. She had watched the two of them on the few nights she stuck around at the apartment when they hung out there. She could see Jules felt the same way about Sammy.

Natalie brushed through Sam's hair lightly again like she had seen Jules do one night after they had a bad call and he had to take a lethal shot. She wondered whether or not tell him about Jules being hurt. Hopefully she would be better before Sammy and he would never need to know. Ah who was she kidding, he would know. She just hoped he wouldn't blame himself. He had a tendency to do that type of thing.

She lean close and said "Sammy. I'm here. Jules is okay. Jules will be with you just as soon as she can. Until then I'll be here for you. You are not alone."

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Spike's ICU Room**_

Gina held her little brother's hand with one hand while the other gently patted her mother's shoulder. Her mother was very distraught and had collapsed into the one chair in the ICU room. She could hear the soft sobs from her ma as she looked at Mikey's face.

She let go of his hand and caressed his face around the ventilation mask. He was nine years her junior. She loved him dearly. He had grown into such a caring, thoughtful man. He was such a good uncle to her son and daughter; too bad they didn't live closer. But her husband Vinnie's job was in Montreal.

Gina knew just how many times he had been hurt in the line of duty. They were close and he would call her afterwards and let her know bare details and that he was okay. But he liked to hide the details from Ma and Pa. Neither of them handled it well. Ma would cry and cook and fuss over Mikey to the point of him feeling irritated. Pa however would either ignore him completely or yell at him picking a fight because he did not like Mikey's choice of job.

She knew that Lou had been his emergency contact before. She also knew that Sam and Greg were his contacts now. Normally they would simply take care of Mikey until he was well enough to go home with minimal reaction from their parents. But this time it was extreme so they had contacted their parents directly.

Looking at his battered face she was glad that she was here visiting when Greg informed her parents that Mikey was missing. Ma needed the support. Pa did too, even though he was being difficult. Vinnie said her pa was just trying to cover up his fears of losing Michael. She wasn't so sure but what she was crystal clear about was the Mikey was a good son no matter what their father thought.

He was quick witted and a little mischief maker when he was younger. Always taking things apart to see how they worked. She recalled the time when he was eleven and he stole the neighbor's outdoor thermometer and took it apart just to see how it worked. Pa was mad and embarrassed that Mikey would steal at all, let alone from the police officer next door.

Mikey got a good spanking for that from Pa. But Mr. Delligatti said he preferred restitution to retribution and made Mikey do odd jobs for him for months until he earned enough to buy a replacement. Then Mr. Delligatti gave Mikey a book on how things were made and how they work. Mikey was hooked on gadgets after that.

Sometimes she had worried he might go down the wrong path when he started blowing things up as a teenager. But quickly she realized it was that same drive to understanding how it all worked. Mr. Delligatti saw that too and took Mikey to meet with the bomb squad so they could impress on him the dangers of making bombs.

After that he became obsessed and giddy with the prospect of defusing bombs. That knowledge and his drive to learn things sure came in handy for his job. Their father just couldn't see what a perfect fit SRU was for Mikey and his skills. He was good at his job and he made a difference in many people's lives.

Her pa should be proud of Mikey instead of berating him. She held out hope that some day her pa would relent and accept Mikey's choice and tell him he was proud of him. But pa better do it soon. The cancer was spreading and it didn't look like he had much time left. Maybe this close call would bring pa to his senses.

Gina leaned close and said "Mikey, they say you will be okay. Now you be good boy and pay attention to the doctors and get better quickly. Ma can't take seeing you hurt. When you were missing she turned to cooking. She made so much that Vinnie had to go buy her a freezer to store it all. You need to get better quickly, for me and Ma and for Pa too."

She lifted his hand and kissed it "I'm going to take ma home now. She needs rest. Your Sergeant has been waiting patiently to come in and check on you. Love you Mikey." She kissed him again then gently helped her mother rise.

Mrs. Scarlatti came close and took his hand "Michelangelo Scarlatti si ascolta tua madre. Io ti amo. È necessario ottenere bene rapidamente. Non so cosa farei senza di te figlio. Chi sarò cucinare per se non torni a casa presto?"  
(Michelangelo Scarlatti you listen to your mother. I love you. You must get well quickly. I don't know what I would do without you son. Who will I cook for if you don't come home soon?)

Spike opened his eyes as she was speaking. He wished he could talk to her. He wanted to reassure her he was going to be okay. He squeezed her hand.

Her eyes looked at the hand that was squeezing hers then up to his face. A sob of joy escaped her again "Ah, il mio bel ragazzo. Io ti amo. Tornerò più tardi. Devo controllare sul vostro padre. Sarà preoccupata per te."  
(Ah my beautiful boy. I love you. I will be back later. I need to check on your father. He will be worried sick about you.)

As Gina led her mother from the room she saw Greg sitting in a chair waiting impatiently. She smiled and said "He's awake. His eyes are open. I'm sure he would like to see you now. I'm taking our mother home. Please let me know if there are any changes."

Greg smiled and nodded as he entered the room. Relief started to wash away the caked on tension from the past days. By sheer luck found them in time. They were all going to recover. He knew Sam had a fight ahead of him but he was optimistic. Jules had been awake at one point and the doctor said she would be okay as soon as the swelling went down.

Now Spike was awake. That was a very good sign. As he had waited he spoke with Connor a bit about the video. He knew that Spike took care of Sam and did all he could to help him. He took a risk to try and get him more help. Spike likely didn't know that his demand for medicine for Sam resulted in them finding them.

Walking close to the bed Greg took up Spike's hand as he made eye contact. Greg smiled and said "Spike you did good. You did real good. You and Sam are alive because of your actions."

Greg was not expecting the tears that quickly sprouted in pain filled eyes and a violent shake of the head no. Spike kept his eyes averted and would no longer look him in the eye. He said "Spike, it is okay. Did you hear me? I said Sam is alive. Your actions saved him."

Spike turned his eyes back on Greg. They were full of bitterness and fury and bored into Greg. Greg was reeling from the abrasive look. He was trying to figure out what was the cause of such hostility. All he said was he did a good job. What was going on in Spike's head?

Spike had to communicate. His actions had not saved Sam in any way. It was all his fault they had been taken and tortured.

If he had just kept his mouth shut at the fishery and defused the bomb then Sam would not have been distracted. If he wasn't distracted he would not have been hit with the two-by-four. Sam would have seen the attackers and been able to prevent them getting taken in the first place.

Then again his actions, telling Vlad that he would take the consequences caused Sam so much pain. It was his fault Sam was beaten. It was his fault Sam revealed Jules name. It was his actions that got Sam shot, not once but twice. It was his fault Sam was tasered over and over.

He tried to communicate all that with his eyes. He was trying to scream I DAMNED WELL DID NOT DO GOOD. MY ACTIONS BETRAYED MY BROTHER.

The heart rate monitors started going wild. A nurse and Dr. Draper rushed in. Dr. Draper asked "What's going on?"

Bewildered by the turn of events Greg said "I'm not sure. I just told him he did a good job. Then he got very upset."

Dr. Draper turned to Spike "You need to calm down."

Spike started to pull against his restraints. He wanted to rip the ventilator out so he could tell his boss it was all his fault. Unable to get his hand free he started whipping his head side to side.

Holding Spike's head Dr. Draper ordered the nurse "Push the sedative now. Before he rips out the tubing. Greg hold him down. Shoulders."

Greg held Spike's shoulders and looked into Spike's wild rage filled eyes "Spike calm down before you hurt yourself. Please calm down. Whatever it is we can work it out. Please calm down."

As Greg begged him to calm down the sedative started to take effect and Spike stilled under his hands and his eyes closed. Greg stood up and took several deep breaths. Something bad must have happened to him; something very bad for Spike to rage like that.

He sank into the chair as the doctor and nurse checked Spike out making sure he had not hurt himself further and that the tubing was still in the right position. Greg needed to talk with Connor and see if he could watch that tape. He needed to find out exactly what happened to Spike and Sam if he was going to help Spike.

He rubbed his head and across his face. Damn, nothing was ever easy with Team One. They had only gotten Ed back about a month ago. Sophie had relented and Ed had come back based on conditions she set.

While he was gone Sam had a taste of the Team Leader role. He was good in the role. Were they wasting his talents and was Sam feeling like he was bumping a glass ceiling? He was watching for the signs but could not tell. Sam seemed a bit off but Sam was always so hard to read accurately.

Something was up with Wordy too. Toth required Wordy to get a full medical evaluation. Wordy insisted it came back clean. But he could read Wordy. Something was bothering him. Then today he passed out twice. Yes, they were all drained and strained but he had never seen Wordy pass-out. Wordy was always a rock. Ed, Wordy and Sam seemed to have endless stamina. Wordy passing out twice meant something was not quite right. But dammit he could not figure out what.

Now Sam, Jules and Spike were all hurt. Spike was enraged about something, god knows what. Jules had taken a big risk today. He should have stopped her. All it took was that split second for her eyes to check on Sam and they nearly lost her too. Why did he allow her to get so close? He should have stepped in and told her to back off.

Then Jules brother shows up out of the blue. How would she handle that? Ed certainly didn't handle it well. With as fragile as Jules was right now could she deal with it? Should he intervene or allow her to take care of it herself?

The list of injuries Sam suffered had been horrible to hear. What would cause him to get so enraged to break plastic bonds? Those are not easy to break. It would take substantial force and hurt like hell. Was the rage Spike was feeling connected in some way? Would Sam be raging when he finally woke?

Greg blew out a breath. His family was falling apart. Family. Oh crap Dean. He really needed to get better at this father thing. He stepped out of the room and made a quick call to Sophie.

Then he called Dean. "Hey Dean, I'm sorry for not calling you sooner. We found them. They are going to be okay. I'm at the hospital now and will be staying the night. I'll be here a lot the next few days. Pack a bag, Mrs. Lane is coming over to get you. You're going to stay with them for the next few days."

[Dean answered "Dad I'm sixteen. I can take care of myself for a few days."]

Greg smiled "I know you can Dean. I just need to know you are safe while I'm away for a few days. Besides you and Clark can hang out. Maybe you could give Mrs. Lane a break and help out with Izzy because Ed will be here too."

[Not wanting to add more pressure to his dad, who was under a great deal the past few days he replied "Yeah I could do that. I'm glad you found them. Are Sam and Spike really okay?"]

"Yeah, they have some bad injuries but all three will be okay" Greg answered.

["All three? Dad who else was injured? Was it you?" Dean asked quickly worried to hear the answer.]

Pacing in a circle as he spoke Greg said "No, no I'm okay son. It was Jules. She was injured when we went in to get them. She will be okay too. Sophie will be there in about thirty minutes so pack what you need for a few days. Don't forget your school books. I'll come by and see you tomorrow afternoon."

["Dad can Clark and I come and see them?" Dean asked wondering how bad it was.]

Looking in the window and seeing Spike on the ventilator Greg did not want to expose the boys to seeing Spike, Sam or Jules in this state. It was disturbing so he said "Not right now. Maybe in a few days. We'll play it by ear. Call me if you need anything."

[Dean heard in his father's voice what he didn't want to say out loud. They must be in pretty bad shape if he wasn't letting him come visit them. So he said "Okay. And dad, take care of yourself too. I know you need to be there, but I …"]

Rubbing his hand over his eyes Greg heard the need in his son's voice. He said softly "I know Dean. I love you too. I'll see you tomorrow. We can grab dinner together."

["Sounds like a plan dad" Dean said and smiled. He was so glad he had decided to come live with his dad. He almost let his step-father adopt him. He was glad he didn't and that he came to visit his dad that day. He didn't realize how much he needed his dad in his life.]

Greg hung up the phone and then looked at Ed who what staring into Jules room while Aidan was inside with her. The room next to Spike was still empty but that is where Sam would be located when he was ready to be moved from Recovery. As he headed back into Spike's room he thought the hospital staff was nice, doing little things for his team. It made it a tad bit easier on them and was much appreciated.

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Jules's ICU Room**_

Aidan was surprised they let him go in to visit with Jules first. However, Ed hovered just outside the glass door. He was watching like a hawk and the look on his face clearly said you better not hurt her.

He approached Jules's bed slowly. She looked so tiny and fragile lying in the bed. The deep purple of the bruising of her neck stood out in bright contrast to the paleness of her skin and the whiteness of the sheet covering her up to the neck.

It was tough seeing her like this. She was always a firecracker; small in form but she had a bang larger than life. It was hard keeping up with her when she was little. Jules loved to tag along with her older brothers all the time. She was never afraid to try something new. Usually she bested them at it in very short order.

She could climb higher and faster than them. Only her shorter legs kept her from beating them in running. So she started using her wit to out fox them. She pushed them to stay on their toes. God he missed that. He also missed her sweet smile when she won. Jules had a rare mix of intelligence, confidence, strength and softness.

The rhythmic whooshing sound of the ventilator unsettled him. "God Jules, I know you probably can't hear me right now. But I'm so very sorry. I should have never let dad bully me into cutting you out of my life. That was so wrong."

He stepped closer to the bed. Aidan rested his shaking hand on top of hers and looked at her. Her eyes were closed and most of her face was obscured by the ventilator mask. But she was as pretty as he remembered her. She was definitely the Jewel of the Plains. God she had hated the moniker but it was true. She was lovely and sweet.

His eyes dropping to the bruising on her throat again he hoped there was no damage to her vocal chords. She had such a beautiful singing voice. He remembered the evenings when she was a young teen sitting on the porch. She would sign for all of them.

Brayden sometimes sang a duet with her but the rest of them were horribly off key when it came to singing. So they would just listen. He would play the guitar for her sometimes and Finley occasionally the harmonica. Keagan said musically he was only fit to be an audience so only listened.

Those were some nice evenings. Hot chocolate, laughter, singing and just being together as a family. Aidan missed those days. He wished he could turn back the hands of time to before it all went haywire. Before it turned ugly and they had done the unthinkable to sweet Jules.

Aidan's fingers gently rubbed the back of her hand. His voice raspy with emotion he said "I should have been strong like you and stood up to him. You were always the strongest one of us. I know you can probably never forgive me but I wanted to let you know that I am sorry. You deserved more from all of us. We should have supported your choice. We still care about you. Brayden, Finley, Keagan and I have been talking for a while. We were planning to come see you to apologize but we didn't know if you would want to see us."

He stopped short when Jules's eyes opened and held his. He swallowed hard. How long had she been awake? How much did she hear? He gave her a tentative smile and said "Hi Jules. It's me Aidan. Long time no see."

Jules just stared. She could not believe it was Aidan. She was having trouble reconciling his words with the last decade of avoidance. Every overture she had made in the first five years was completely ignored. She had finally given up. It hurt too bad to keep trying. She had made a new life that did not include her biological family.

She had heard the door open but had been so tired she didn't bother to open her eyes. She had expected the visitor to be the Boss, Ed or Wordy. It shocked her when she recognized the voice as Aidan's.

The words Aidan said still ringing in her ears seemed surreal. Jules wanted to believe that she was just dreaming because she couldn't deal with this now. She was maxed out worried about Sam and Spike. She wasn't ready to handle anything else.

But she wasn't dreaming. She could feel his fingers brushing the back of her hand. Her eyes went to the window searching for help. She knew they would not be far. One of them would be close by. They cared, they were her family. Her eyes found and locked on Ed's.

Ed opened the door immediately. He saw the pleading look in her eyes. So many years of working together they could all communicate to some extent non-verbally. She was clearly asking for help, she was overwhelmed. Calmly Ed said "Aidan, I think it is time for you to go."

Aidan looked to Ed then back to Jules. He saw her eyes steady on Ed. Aidan said sadly "Yeah, I probably should go. Jules I'm not sure how much you heard. But I am sorry. I'll leave my number with your boss. The ball is in your court now. I'll understand if you can't forgive me or the others. But maybe there is a little hope. Get well soon Jules."

When Aidan left Ed came forward and said softly "Spike's next door to you. He's stable they just need to watch his lungs. Sam is in recovery. They are concerned about his fever but the gunshots did not do major damage. They will both recover. You rest now. Sam and Spike will be up and about in no time. You know we can never keep those two down. Sleep now Jules there will be time to deal with the rest of it later."

Jules let her eyes close and drifted into sleep. For the first time in days the gnawing fear of living without Sam was releasing its grip on her. She could rest now. Wordy, Ed and Greg would watch over them now.

Ed sat in the chair and watched as tension eased from Jules face. She was the heart of this team. She was as fierce as any warrior but as gentle as a dove. Jules had changed over the years. She was willing to show emotions other than anger now. She was a good negotiator and profiler.

As he looked back he could see that she started changing a few years ago. He wondered at the change. What would cause her to settle and allow them to see more of her true feelings? Perhaps it was just familiarity and the fact the team had been through so much over the past three years.

Whatever had caused the change he was glad. He just hoped the appearance of her brother didn't derail her. Ed wished he had overheard what Aidan said to her and hoped they were not setting her up to be hurt again. He would rip their heads off if they did.

Ed watched as the bed carrying Sam was wheeled passed. His sister followed. Good, he wouldn't be alone with Wordy at home. It was nice that at least one member of his family could be here. Colonel Braddock had to return to the base and the General was unable to leave the conference he was attending. Mrs. Braddock had decided to remain with the General.

She relayed via the Colonel that she knew Sam was in good hands with the team watching his six. Colonel Braddock had laughed when he imparted that she said knowing her son he would be chomping to be released before she could even arrive and that he hated to be molly-coddled. She asked to be notified if things took a turn for the worse or when Sam was able to speak so she could call and talk with him.

Ed stretched out his legs. Tonight was going to be another restless night. But at least he knew his team was safe. He leaned back, crossed his arms and let his head rest on the wall behind him. He took one last look at Jules and then closed his eyes feeling the exhaustion tugging him down into a light sleep.


	15. Cool Pants Gray & Jules Helps Spike

**'Cool Pants' Gray & Jules Helps Spike**

* * *

 _ **Three Days Later: Hospital – Sam's ICU Room**_

It was gray, all gray, nothing but gray. He lay flat on his back feeling nothing. Not hot or cold, not happy, sad, anger, or fear. Just nothing, no emotion. His body was numb and unfeeling as if it might not really exist as he stared into the grayness. If he had to name the color he would call it 'cool pants' gray.

Sam heard a familiar voice say "Hey."

He looked to his right, or was it to his left; he couldn't really tell there didn't seem to be direction in the grayness. He said "Hey."

The voice said "Where are we?"

Sam responded "I was going to ask you that."

A hand reached out "Want some help?"

He clasped the extended hand and pulled himself up to standing. "What are you doing here?"

"I don't really know, you brought me here" the voice responded.

Sam turned a full circle looking at the unending 'cool pants' gray. "Where do you think we are?" he asked.

Shaking his head first the voice answered "No clue."

"Well you're no help" Sam stated still detached from all sensation.

The voice laughed "Am I supposed to be?"

"Yeah you are" Sam bit out angrily.

"Ah good emotion. Like to see that" the voice remarked.

Stalking forward into the grayness Sam wanted to leave. But the no matter which direction he went and no matter how far it was always the same. There were no walls but he had the distinct impression he was imprisoned. He stopped and turned and yelled "Quit following me."

"Hey I have no choice. You just keep dragging me with you. Where are you trying to go?" the voice asked.

Blowing out a breath Sam squatted down. He was frustrated. He wanted out of this nothingness. But he couldn't find how. He scrubbed his face with his hands. The figure crouched beside him. Sam said "I don't know. I just need out. But I can't find my way. I'm lost."

Sam felt a hand on his shoulder and a slight squeeze "Why are you lost? You always know where you are. Dutch taught you too well for you to be lost."

Plopping down to his butt and drawing his knees up tightly to his chest Sam said miserably "I can't feel it. It's gone. It's all gone. I lost it all. Maybe I never had it. Maybe it was just a dream. Maybe it was just wishful thinking. I don't really deserve it."

Compassionately the voice responded "What don't you deserve?"

Sam locked eyes with the figure and barely breathed out "Love."

The figure pushed him hard to the ground so he was flat on his back again. Then it got in his face and yelled harshly "What the fuck! Like hell you don't!"

The figure rose, green eyes flashing with pain and anger "Blondie, I swear to god. If you don't get that fucking head of yours straight I'm gonna have to kick your ass."

"But Matt …" Sam tried to interject.

Matt dropped to his knees beside Sam "But nothing. Listen carefully." Matt gripped his chin and made Sam look at him "You listening?" Sam nodded. "Okay. Good. Now tell me. Why don't you deserve love?"

Sam stared into Matt's demanding green eyes. He tried to formulate an answer. He almost started speaking multiple times. Each time he stopped before a single word left his mouth. He tried to pull away from Matt but he would not let go and forced him to look at him. The steel in Matt's face and eyes demanded an answer. Sam just couldn't find one.

Matt softened his voice "That's what I thought. So now what's the real problem? Why are we here?" He pulled Sam to a seated position. "Talk to me buddy."

Looking around the unending expanse of 'cool pants' gray, Sam admitted "It's safe. If I leave here I will lose everything. I was forced to tell my secret. Vlad was going to kill Spike. I couldn't let him kill Spike. So I had tell. If it was just me I would have never talked. I would have taken my secret to my grave."

Sitting next to him Matt put his arm around Sam's shoulder "What was your secret? What did you have to tell? Why will you lose everything?"

"Don't you know?" Sam blinked disbelievingly.

Matt smirked "Blondie, I may be a figment of your mind but I'm no mind reader. Spill it."

"Just like me to hallucinate an unhelpful ass" Sam ground out with no heat.

Matt just laughed "Well you are a stubborn ass yourself because you're the one that conjured me and are putting the words in my mouth. But technically you are not hallucinating. You'd have to be awake to do that. You are dreaming. So come on what's your secret and why will you lose everything?"

A pained look crossed Sam's face "There were cameras. They recorded the audio. To save Spike I had to betray Jules. I knew I couldn't lie because Vlad knew things. He must have watched us for a while. If I lied then Vlad would have shot Spike in the head. I couldn't allow that to happen."

Sam flopped onto his back again looking up at the gray above him "When they review the evidence everyone will find out. I will lose Jules and my family. Everyone will know that I'm a liar and that I betrayed their trust."

Turning his head to look at Matt, Sam said in a timorous voice "I'm not ready to face that. Here in the 'cool pants' gray world I'm safe. It doesn't hurt, much. But if I leave I will lose everything again. I don't think I'm strong enough to survive that again. I'm afraid to be alone." Sam let the tears spill that he had been holding back for a while.

His subconscious Matt sat saying nothing, what could he say. There were no platitudes that would make this less painful for Sam. He silently watched over Sam as his pain and fear overtook him yet again. The cycle would repeat soon. It was nearly the same every time. Sam was no closer to resolving the fear that would allow him to wake up and face what was coming.

Ed sat watching Sam closely for any signs of wakefulness. He saw the tears slipping silently from the corners of Sam's closed eyes. He glanced at the monitors and they showed no changes to anything indicating he was awake.

It had been three days and he had not woken up yet. He was worried. They all were. The doctors said he was not in a coma, he was just sleeping.

Several doctors had come to check him and consult with Dr. Fraser. None really had any better explanation than Dr. Fraser. He was of the opinion that it was from deep exhaustion due to what Sam endured and the blood loss. He indicated that was most likely that Sam's body just needed to recharge.

Sam's fever had broken two days ago and it was only slightly elevated now. They were getting the infection under control. The doctors were pleased with the healing of his wounds too. So they adopted a watch and wait protocol. But they decided to keep him in ICU for a few more days. If he did not wake in the next forty-eight hours they would transfer him to the eighth floor where they normally sent comatose patients.

Ed was no doctor but he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to it than just exhaustion. But hell if he could figure it out. Those tears falling, slowly now, while he slept concerned him. Why was Sam crying? Damn that was a stupid thing to ask he chided himself. Sam and Spike had been held for two days and god knows what happened to them besides all the physical injuries.

If Spike's anger and refusal to speak was any indicator it was bad. If Sam was truly sleeping he might be having nightmares. But Sam lay still so it didn't seem like a nightmare. If it was a nightmare he should be thrashing about. Ed had experience with Sam and nightmares. It was never pretty, never silent, and never still.

As he watched the tears continue to flow he decided that it was the stillness that worried him more than the tears. Sam hadn't moved on his own at all in the past three days. The nurses routinely repositioned him to avoid pressure points. But once put in a position Sam did not move. Currently he was flat on his back with his arms at his side.

The door opened and Ed looked to see who entered. "Hi Wordy." He forestalled the expected question "No change."

Wordy walked in and looked at Sam. He looked at Ed "He's crying. I'm going to call the nurse. Maybe he is in pain and can't tell us."

Ed shook his head "Nurse Clarry was in here just fifteen minutes ago to give him a dose of the good stuff. I don't think it is physical pain Wordy. I think he is dreaming and whatever he is dreaming about must hurt a lot."

Wordy looked closely and saw the faint twitching of Sam's closed eyes indicating REM sleep. "Yeah, I think you are right about the dreaming. I wouldn't venture to guess what is making him cry. He's sure as hell has seen and been through a lot of things. Things that would make even the most hardened man cry" Wordy stated.

He had to look away; it was painful to see Sam crying in his sleep. He turned to Ed "God, it's tough to watch this and not be able to do anything to help him." He saw the disturbed look on Ed's face. He could see Ed felt the same way. "You need a break Ed?" Wordy offered.

Pushing up out of the chair Ed silently agreed with Wordy but chose to ignore it saying "How's Spike?"

"Same. His sister is with him right now" Wordy answered.

Walking to the bed and gripping the plastic footboard Ed rocked back and forth stretching his legs a bit and asked "Jules?"

Chuckling then sitting in the one chair in the ICU room Wordy replied "Spitting nails still. Greg is using his negotiating skills to keep her in bed."

Ed couldn't help a small laugh "Those two are almost an equal match. Good thing Greg still holds power over her being the boss."

"Well not so much power but more respect. She knows we all care and are just looking out for her. It might also be partly the fact that if she speaks too much her voice goes out. It's kinda hard to win a negotiation if you can't speak. I think she won though. I heard Greg was going to talk to the doctor about letting her visit Spike and Sam today" Wordy commented.

Reaching high and then stretching his back Ed said "Good. I think she might just be able to help with Spike. He is worrying me a lot. If you don't mind staying a bit I'm gonna take a quick walk. Back's killing me. Those damned chairs are not made for sitting in for hours. Want anything? Coffee, soda, water, snack?"

Shifting in the uncomfortable seat Wordy answered "Nah, I'm good. Take your time. You could use a break, you were here all night. If you are hungry there is food in the tenth floor break room. Gina brought more goodies in with her today. I think biscotti, cannoli and a penne pasta dish with a garlic cream sauce and of course fresh bread. The nurse's on the tenth floor love Spike's mom. They said they haven't eaten so well in ages."

"Mrs. Scarlatti certainly has been cooking enough to feed two armies. But I might just head home for a bit. Shower and short nap on a bed would be good. I'll have my phone with me. Call if Sam wakes" Ed said heading for the door.

"Will do" Wordy said as Ed left the room. Wordy looked back at Sam and saw the tears had stopped. He stood and went to the bed "Sam, come on buddy open your eyes. Time to wake up. You don't want me to have Ed order you to wake up do you?"

He watched for even the slightest change. There was none. "Okay buddy. I guess you still need your beauty rest. But ya gotta wake up soon. Spike needs you I think. Something bad happened to you two in that basement. Spike is so angry but he won't talk to anyone." He sighed and resumed his watching position in the unyielding plastic chair.

* * *

 _ **Three Days Later: Hospital – Jules's Room**_

Pushing the wheelchair into Jules's room Greg asked "Ready to go?"

Jules got off the bed and moved to the door "Been ready since yesterday" she said in an annoyed and raspy tone. "I don't need that" she pointed to the chair.

"Rules. They won't let you go otherwise" Greg said patiently and calmly but with enough authority to get her to comply. Jules had reached her absolute limit of patience. The ventilator had been removed yesterday morning. It had taken everything him, Ed, Wordy and the hospital staff had to keep her in bed. She constantly demanded to see Spike and Sam.

Jules huffed and sat in the wheelchair "Fine. Let's go. Is Spike …" stopping to take a needed breath she continued "still awake?"

Turning the wheelchair toward the door Greg answered "Yes. They removed the ventilator last night. He is breathing just fine on his own. They are going to keep him several more days for observation though. You want to go visit him or Sam first?"

Less annoyed now that she was actually getting to go visit them Jules said in a soft rasp "Has Sam woken up yet?" Part of her dreaded the answer.

Greg sighed and said "No he hasn't. The doctor still says it is not a coma. That he is just sleeping. But no he hasn't woken up yet. Ed stayed the night with him. He made Natalie go home to rest. She's been with him almost non-stop and until last night. Sophie gave her a ride home."

Jules nodded holding her emotions tightly in check. She wanted to go to Sam first. But since Sam was still not awake she would go to Spike because he needed her too. She responded slowly and carefully trying not to irritate her raw throat "Then I'll go see Spike first. Has he talked to anyone yet?" Greg shook his head no.

Greg pushed the wheelchair down the hall toward the elevators. Jules sat silently thinking of how to handle Spike. She knew she needed to talk to Spike badly. They said he was angry since he woke up in ICU three days ago. He refused to communicate with anyone other than the doctors and that had been only to blink yes or no to medical questions. She doubted now with the ventilator out he had spoken to anyone.

Jules had a pretty good idea why he was angry. She knew Spike very well. Sadly she knew exactly what happened in that basement. She knew all of it; every sickening, terrible thing that happened to them. The images were seared into her brain and made her ache deeply for both of them. She knew both of them so well they would both be blaming themselves.

She was surprised by Connor's offer to sit with her yesterday while Wordy went to have dinner with his family. When they were alone he locked the door and then placed a file and a laptop on her table. The look of sadness on his face unnerved her a bit.

He had pulled out an old photo and looked at it as he told her about his daughter. She could see that he was still grieving for her after such a long time. Actually he was re-grieving for her knowing now that the madman who had abducted Sam and Spike was the one responsible for her death.

Connor showed her the photo and she was stunned by the resemblance. It made more since now how Vlad had placed her in his mind as Alice. But not Sam. He and Sergei looked nothing alike. If anything Spike looked more like Sergei than Sam did. It was more proof just how far gone the man's mind was.

Then he handed her the file folder. It contained detailed notes on Spike, Sam and her. She had cringed when she read all the details that would make their relationship known. The notes meticulously recorded where each of them went and with whom over several months all annotated with dates, times and locations. Her stomach was in knots wondering what would happen when those items were brought to light.

As he reached for the laptop he had apologized to her saying no one should ever have to watch the video he was about to show her. But he said she really needed to watch it. His reasoning was that it affected her and from the report it showed how close she was with both men. Connor said that she should have full disclosure because it was likely going to fall to her to help Sam and Spike deal with the trauma.

Just before he hit play Connor said he didn't know Spike well enough to decide for sure but maybe Spike's anger might have to do with either the secret or the torture. Her head had whipped to him and she said 'secret?'. He had patted her hand and said it would become clear as she watched the video. Then he went to the window and stared out as she watched in horror.

Connor held her when she cried for their suffering. When she had composed herself they discussed Spike's anger. She decided and Connor agreed it was more likely the result of the torture. Or more aptly, the fact that Spike thought he was protecting Sam but it backfired and resulted in Sam taking the brunt of it. That would make Spike pissed off at himself thinking his actions caused someone else hurt.

When that discussion was finished they became quiet for a long time, each with their own thoughts. It had been tough to watch but she was glad he shared the video with her. Then reality of the existence of the video had hit her. Everyone would know about her and Sam once it was entered as evidence.

She was beyond denying it and worrying about repercussions to her job. What Jules was mostly concerned about was how the lying would damage their relationships with Ed, Wordy and Greg. By Spike's actions in the video she did not worry about him. There might be a small amount of hurt but nothing they could not fix. That was evident in the way Spike took care of Sam after the secret was out and his soft words indicating he would keep their secret.

Jules was again surprised by Connor when she asked if anyone else had seen the video. Connor shook his head no and smiled at her then said 'There is nothing I can do to help my dear Alice. But you my dear I can. Evidence gets lost or damaged all the time. I will hold these private until you speak with both Sam and Spike. You three can decide how we proceed. I will abide by your decision whatever it is, no judgements.'

Connor then kissed her cheek and went to unlock the door. They sat and he talked about his Alice until Wordy arrived an hour later. As Connor left he thanked her for listening. That it helped to be able to talk about his daughter, to remember all the good things. He wished her a speedy recovery and told her he would be conducting a formal interview for the records later in the week.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Greg said "We're here."

* * *

 _ **Three Days Later: Hospital – Spike's Room**_

The anger had only grown over the last days because Sam had not woken up. It was all he could do to not explode. But if he exploded he might say something he shouldn't. So he put all his energy into keeping his mouth shut.

Gina was babbling to him right now but he was not paying attention to what she was saying. He was too wrapped up in his own thoughts. The events kept rolling through his mind. Every single hit Sam took was played out in his head and damned him more. Sam may be alive but he was not alright. The doctors didn't know why he would not wake up. It was his entire fault.

The door opened and Gina looked back. She was relieved to see Jules. She got up and went to the door. Quietly she said "Mikey still has not said a word. I doubt he is even listening to me. He seems so far away. You and he are so close. Maybe he will talk to you."

Jules's eyes went directly to the bed and saw Spike laying down and staring at the ceiling. He didn't even acknowledge that someone was entering his room. Jules turned her head to Greg "I want to be alone with him. Maybe you could take Gina home so she can rest for a while."

Patting her shoulder Greg said "Okay. You take it easy. Stay in this chair. Watch your voice. Remember they said to talk sparingly these first few days so you do not irritate it and cause it to swell again."

She gave Greg a small smile and cocked her head "I'll be good. Go." With that Greg and Gina left the room. As the door closed behind her Jules wheeled herself next to the bed. She waited for Spike to acknowledge her presence.

Slowly Spike turned his head towards Jules. He stared at her. He saw the bruising that was evident on her neck. Greg had told him what happened when they were rescued. Knowing and seeing were two different things. He hurt for her. The marks looked so painful.

His eyes soften thinking of her instead of his own anger. He reached out a shaky hand and gently touched Jules neck. The emotional dam burst. Jules was out of the chair and seated on the edge of the bed next to him and pulled him tightly to her as he cried. After a time the sobs quieted to occasional snuffles but Jules still held him.

Jules handed Spike a tissue as he pulled back. He blew his nose hard. Then he wiped his eyes with the back of his hands trying to remove the traces of tears. Jules had practice in waiting quietly. It was the only way Sam would open up. She thought it might just work with Spike too.

But after forty minutes of Spike just looking down at his hands in his lap she decided to break the silence. She reached out and covered his hands "Given the same circumstances, knowing only what you knew then. What would you have done differently?"

Spike lifted his head and looked at her "It's my fault."

"That's not what I asked" Jules responded softly but firmly.

Spike's anger was rising and he started breathing rapidly. He clenched his jaw. "It's my fault we got taken. If I just kept my mouth shut and done my job."

Jules just looked at him. She knew he had to work it out in his own head. Her saying it was not his fault would not help. So she asked "So you do not think you should have let Sam know there was active RDX. That the bomb was real. You should have kept that critical information from the Bravo team lead."

"No" Spike ground out knowing that he could not have done that.

"So what did I ask you?" Jules said.

Grudgingly Spike ground out "What I would do differently knowing only what I knew at the time."

Jules nodded once and said "And, your answer would be?"

Spike turned away not wanting to answer her. Not wanting to let go the anger. Not ready to concede there was nothing he would have done differently. Then he found it. The one thing he could grasp to hold his anger and continue to flog himself with.

Turning back to Jules he growled "I could have trusted Sam more. I should have let him take the lead. He has experience with insane torturing bastards. If I listened to him instead of being macho thinking I could withstand the beatings just as well as he could then he would not have been hurt so bad."

The video playing in Jules head, she could see it. "So you think Sam had any clue the sick turn Vlad would take with that damned betrayal game and what the consequences really were?"

Spike's eyes opened wide in shock. He stammered "How … Uh … How do you …" Realization that the cameras must have recorded everything. He groaned and closed his eyes as he let his head fall to the pillow. "Oh god Jules. Who has seen it? I'm so sorry. Because of me, Sam had to reveal your secret. What did the Boss say? God I'm so sorry."

"It's okay Spike." Jules started only to be cut off.

Spike opened his eyes and yelled straining his raw throat "It's not okay. Not by a long shot. You two might get fired. God damned rules. I bet Ed can't wait to rip into Sam over this. You know how he can be with Sam. He's always so god damned hard on him. Takes him to task for any little mistake. Can you imagine what he will do to him for knowingly breaking rules. He will flay him alive."

Jules reached out and put a hand over his mouth startling Spike quiet. "It's okay. No one but me and Connor have seen the tape so far."

"Connor? You mean the Interpol guy?" Spike asked confused. Jules nodded and then explained how she met Connor at the fishery, how he was leading the investigation, about his daughter Alice and what happened last night when he visited her. By the end her throat was feeling very raw.

Spike reached over to his table and grabbed his water cup and handed it to her. Incredulously he asked "So it is really going to be up to the three of us to decide what to do with the tape and file?"

Jules took a long cooling drink then said very quietly "Yeah. So what do you want to do with it?"

Without a single hesitation Spike said emphatically "Destroy them."

Blinking at the speed and ferocity of his words Jules inquired "Why?"

"Sam's more than just my friend. He's my brother. You are my sister. I may not have been able to do anything to protect Sam from the madman. But I sure as hell can do something to protect you both now. You two are important to me. The man is dead. There is no reason that tape needs to ever see the light of day. Maybe it would be different if we needed it to get a conviction. But we don't" Spike explained.

He reached out and pulled Jules into a hug "I love you two too much to see you both hurt. Sam was willing to die to protect you. To do that means he loves you a lot. I've always thought you two were good together. Maybe I should have seen that there was something more between you. But you know neither of you are the easiest people to read."

Spike pushed her back a bit. His soft understanding eyes connected with her wet concerned eyes "I'm happy for you both. Jules, your secret is safe with me."

Jules laid her head on his shoulder and whispered "Thank you."

They stayed that way until there was a soft knock on the door and the nurse peeked in and said "Time for meds." The nurse came slowly into the room. Seeing them hugging the nurse thought happily that his teammate might have just gotten through to him and resolved whatever was bothering him.

As Jules moved back to the wheelchair she asked "Have you forgiven yourself?"

Spike waited for the nurse to do what she needed. When she left the room he answered honestly "Almost. That just won't happen until I know Sam is alright."

Jules nodded understanding him but she still said "You did all that you could and then some to take care of him. I know because I watched everything you did. You know Sam would not want you to blame yourself, no matter the outcome."

Spike snorted and said sarcastically "Yeah the king of self-blame wouldn't want me to blame myself."

At the glare from Jules and raised fist that threatened to punch his arm he softened "I know. I know. Have you seen Samtastic yet? How is he really doing?"

"When Greg comes back I'm heading up to visit him" Jules answered. She saw Spike's eyes slowly blinking. Pain meds taking affect "Get some rest now. I'll see if they will allow me come back here after. If not, I'll make sure one of them gives you a full report."

Spike nodded and just before he drifted off to sleep he said "Thank you Jules."

Jules watched him sleep. She knew what he was thanking her for. In her mind there was no thanks needed. He was hurting and she had to help him. She was just glad she was able to get through to him for the most part. She knew full well though that it would take Sam talking to him before Spike would completely accept it was not his fault.

She crossed her arms on the edge of his bed and laid her head on them to rest while she waited for Greg to return and take her to visit Sam.


	16. Conversation, Secret Told, Odors & Plans

**Conversation, Secret Told, Odors & Plan** **s**

* * *

 _ **SRU HQ**_

After a couple hours nap, lunch with Sophie, and a little playtime with Izzy Ed had headed to SRU HQ. He wanted to talk with Connor. The thought of the video had been in the back of his mind for several days now.

Spike's anger and refusal to talk to anyone was worrisome. Perhaps there was something on the video that would help him figure out how to help Spike. It might also help him with Sam. He could tell Sam was hurting even though he had not woken up. Those tears were a good indicator. God he was frustrated. This whole thing was driving him mad.

Why in the world did this Anagram Killer pick Spike and Sam? Sure they fit the profile but why them out of all the police partners in Canada? As his mind chewed on this he felt his anger at the man rise again.

Anger was always just below the surface since Sam and Spike were taken. In many ways he was glad the man was dead. But he really wanted to know why and with the man being dead he was unable to get a direct answer.

He pushed down the anger again as he walked up to the dispatch desk. He forced a smile "Afternoon Winnie."

"Hi Ed. What ya doing here? Thought you'd be at the hospital" Winnie said surprised to see Ed at headquarters.

Ed replied "Need to speak with Connor. Is he still set up in conference room three?"

Winnie nodded and said "Yes, but he's not there right now. Said something about meeting with Interpol CSI. He didn't say when he would be back."

Unable to rein in his frustration he smacked the counter hard causing Winnie to jump. Ed saw Winnie's reactions and said "Sorry." Winnie just nodded then appeared to go back to her paperwork. But she was watching him with frequent side glances as he just stood there apparently lost in thought.

Ed stared off towards the briefing room as he debated whether or not to just go into the conference room and get the video. He was distracted and did not hear Winnie at first. The fact she had said something finally registered and he turned to look at her and said "Sorry, what did you say?"

Winnie sighed. She could see Ed was on edge. An on edge Ed meant a possible eruption was coming but she asked again "How are they all doing?"

Ed immediately softened. He forgot how this was affecting not only his team but all of SRU. They all still had to be at work to cover for Team One. Winnie was especially close to the team so not being able visit them had to be tough. Connor had said that no one other than family or Team One was allowed to visit them until after he had taken their statements.

"Jules is doing well. If all goes well the doctor said she will be able to go home tomorrow. Spike was taken off the ventilator and is doing better too. They will be keeping him several more days though. Sam still hasn't woken up yet. Still in ICU. I'll be sure to let them know you are thinking of them" Ed responded.

"Thanks" Winnie said.

Ed made his decision "Winnie, do you happen to have the keys to conference room three?"

Reaching into her desk she produced the set of keys and handed them to Ed. She wondered why but kept her thoughts to herself "Yeah."

"Thanks" Ed said taking the keys then heading towards the conference room. He unlocked the door and entered. Looking around the room he saw the photos of thirty two officers, one man and one woman taped to the wall. He took a moment to look at each man. He was hoping to see a type, something obvious about the pairs of officers.

However, there was nothing that jumped out at him. Beyond being young and good looking they ranged in looks. Blondes, brunettes, redheads, black hair. Blue, green, hazel and brown eyes. Every ethnicity. Nothing outward that would draw them together as a specific type.

Under each photo was a name, country and date of death. He noticed they were in chronological order by death date going back nearly nine years. He stopped and looked at the woman. He could see a resemblance between this woman and Jules. So this was Connor's daughter Alice. He looked at Sergei. Then he allowed his eyes to scan across all the photos again. They landed on the last two, Sam and Spike. Instead of a death date the words 'rescued alive' was written.

Ed dropped into one of the chairs. He then noted a piece of paper on the table. He pulled it forward and perused it. Countries with between two and ten names written below each. He mentally summed the number of names, sixty-two, and wondered who they were.

Then recalled the names of the decreased in the fishery fire. They were listed under Canada. His gut told him this was likely a list of all those that had died at the hands of the madman. He sighed deeply. So many killed by one sick man. He began to wonder who Vlad was.

Leaning back and staring at the ceiling he decided it didn't really matter who he was. His mind shifted back to needing to help his friends. He pushed up from the chair and headed for the boxes in the corner. Evidence gathered at the scene. The video must be here. He really needed to know what happened to them.

After ten minutes of searching he had gone through all the video boxes and found labeled videos of all cases except Sam and Spike's. Surely the video should be in the boxes. He checked again but to no avail. Where the heck was the video?

It was then Ed saw the lock box. He dismissed the idea of opening it. It was probably personal items or Connor's off duty weapon. He stood and thought again where it might be. He spied a stack of file folders on the table. He opened one and flipped through it. They looked to be surveillance notes on the officers from Brazil. Whoever did the surveillance was thorough. He shuffled through the folders wondering if there was one on Spike and Sam. He didn't find one.

No video and no surveillance folder. Odd he thought. Why wouldn't they be here with all the rest? A thought popped into his head; perhaps Connor had them with him. Maybe that was what he was meeting with Interpol about because Sam and Spike survived.

He left and locked the room feeling somewhat unfulfilled in finding anything to possibly help Spike and Sam. But he left with a deeper sense of relief. By sheer luck they had found Sam and Spike alive and they did not become the thirty-first and thirty-second officers killed.

Ed decided he would just have to wait to speak with Connor about the video. He dropped the keys off to Winnie and promised to call her with an update once he got to the hospital.

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Spike's Room**_

Opening the door slowly Greg entered Spike's room. It had taken longer to return than he planned. After dropping off Gina he had swung home to shower and change. He had sat on the bed to put on his shoes. Three hours later he found himself blinking awake not recalling having fallen to sleep. He felt bad. He had left Jules for far longer than he planned.

As he walked forward Spike looked up to him and put a finger to his lips and said quietly "Shhh." Then he pointed the same finger at a sleeping Jules.

Greg went to the opposite side of the bed and whispered "She been asleep long?"

Spike answered quietly "Not sure. She was sleeping when I woke up about ten minutes ago."

Relief spread through Greg as Spike had responded to him. Jules had worked her magic. Whatever had been eating at Spike seemed to have been dealt with sufficiently enough for Spike to interact with others. Greg smiled and asked "How are you feeling?"

"Not great, but a little better than before" Spike admitted honestly. Then asked "How is Sam?"

"I'm not sure. Haven't checked with Wordy yet, but likely there is no change since he has not called. He would have called if Sam awoke" Greg stated.

Spike nodded and gently tapped Jules shoulder "Jules, Jules. Greg is here now."

Jules opened her eyes slowly and it took a second for her to realize where she was. Her sleep foggy mind first recognized the achy pain in her throat. Then she remembered she was in Spike's room. Jules turned her head and looked at Spike "Hi. Sorry didn't mean to nod off."

Spike grinned mischievously at her "S' ok. I like sleeping with you."

That elicited a groan from Jules as she lightly punched him in the thigh, aware his arms were injured and not wanting to hurt him.

Greg rolled his eyes and smiled. It was good to see Spike joking. He said "Would you like to visit Sam now?"

Spike added in "Jules if he wakes tell him …"

Jules cut him off "You'll tell him yourself. You got that."

Looking downcast Spike said "Yeah. I guess it can wait." Part of Spike was worried about facing Sam and telling him he was sorry for not trusting him. That small part of him still would not let go of the guilt.

Jules stood up and gave Spike a hug "Everything's gonna be okay. Sam's gonna wake up soon. If he doesn't I'm gonna kick his butt. You two will talk and it will be right as rain again."

"Mmm k." Spike murmured.

Jules sat back down and said to Greg "Let's go. I got sleeping beauty to wake up."

As Greg went to open the door so he could push the wheelchair out Spike said under his breath heard by Jules but not Greg "Ya one kiss from you should do it."

Jules snapped her head up at that and gave Spike a look that said 'don't blow it, you promised'. Spike gave her a small contrite look and nodded.

Greg and Jules made their way to Sam's room. In the elevator Greg asked Jules how she had gotten Spike to talk and calm down. Jules gave him a short answer then was silent. She offered no more. Greg wanted more details but did not push when Jules did not openly offer them. He trusted her to help Spike and if Spike wanted him to know he would talk to him directly.

* * *

 _ **Hospital – ICU Waiting Room**_

Wordy joined Greg in the hall of the ICU ward after pushing Jules's wheelchair into Sam's room. The two moved off down the hall to the small waiting room to grab some coffee and wait while Jules visited with Sam for a while.

When they sat Greg said "Looks like Jules was able to get through to Spike."

Grinning Wordy replied "I was pretty sure that she would be able too. Did you ask Jules what Spike's problem was?"

Greg tensely rubbed his head a few times then responded "She didn't say much. But she said he mostly felt guilty for them getting taken."

"Whoa. How the … I mean why would he …. Ah Christ. Yeah he probably would. It's not his fault. I mean the man planned for months. I hope Jules set the record straight for him. We're probably gonna be dealing with the same from Sam when he wakes up" Wordy speculated.

Pursing his lips and nodding in agreement Greg added "Yeah, most likely. Sam was in the lead and we all know how he takes things when they go sideways. Always finds a way to blame himself. God I wish I could roll back time for him and stop Sara's death. Behaviors based on a twist of a child's mind became so ingrained in him are hard for him to change."

Wordy nodded but kept silent. He agreed. Sam had a world of hurt, felt unworthy, abandoned, unloved and alone for so many years. He had never shared the deepest, darkest things Sam shared with him years ago. Transference would be the clinical name for what Sam did with many of his childhood memories.

He reached out to pick up his coffee and his hand shook. He looked up to see Greg looking at him with concern. Greg asked "Is there something you would like to tell me Wordy?"

Closing his eyes and releasing a long exhale Wordy said "Yeah." He opened his eyes and looked at Greg "You remember Toth?"

Shaking his head Greg said "How could I forget."

"Well, I got that full physical he demanded" Wordy said.

Greg's insides clenched. "I know. So, not as clean a bill of health as you would have liked?" he queried.

"No. Not at all. I should have told you from the beginning. But it was hard to take it all in. SRU is all I have. I mean Shel and the girls; they depend on me to take care of them. Being a cop is all I know. I don't have options like Spike or the rest of you" Wordy rambled out.

Sensing that he really, really was not going to like the answer Greg still asked "What did they find?"

Taking several deep breaths to calm himself Wordy answered quietly "Parkinson's, early stage."

All the breath left Greg as he slumped into the seat completely deflated. After a ragged breath in Greg softly said "Son of a bitch. Wordy." Greg's eyes clouded with unshed tears for his friend. What should he say? He was truly at a loss for words. Wordy's world had been turned completely upside down.

A long silence ensued as Greg simply looked at Wordy. The first real words he thought to say were "Have you told Shel?"

Wordy nervously laughed "No, not yet. Still trying to get up the nerve to tell her. I know she needs to know. Should have been the first person I told, but …." Wordy looked around uncomfortably "but … I don't want to worry her. At least not until I know what I'm going to do, how bad it is and such. The doctors are still running some tests. They started me on a medicine regimen but they are trying to dial in the right dosage."

Greg placed a hand on Wordy's shoulder and squeezed "What if anything can I do? You know you are more than just my friend. We are family. How can I help?"

Unable to sit anymore, Wordy stood and paced in the small room. After a bit Wordy said "For now I'd like it to stay just between us. My doctor's say that there are medications that can keep my symptoms fully under control. They say it could be that way for years. I just need some time to figure things out. I need to talk to Shel. I need you to trust me to work it out. I just need some time before everyone knows."

Greg stood and stopped Wordy's pacing placing a hand on each shoulder. Looking him directly in the eyes Greg said "Wordy I trust you will work this out. We have down time right now with being down three members. Do what you need to do. No matter how alone you feel in this right now. I need you to know we are here for you. You are not alone. We do not abandon family. When you have sorted it out, when you are ready, we can talk." Greg pulled Wordy into a quick hug then released him.

Wordy looked at Greg "Thanks. I will. We will." He sat down feeling like a little of the weight had been lifted. Greg was right, he was not alone in this. They would be there to support him. He was grateful Greg was giving him time to work things out. He was not looking forward to the conversation with Shel. It would devastate her; something he never wanted to do.

Wordy felt a comforting hand on his back. The two men sat in silence both lost in their own thoughts.

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Sam's ICU Room**_

Jules sat quietly not touching Sam for several minutes. She would never get used to seeing him like this. So battered and bruised. Why did he always have to put himself in the line of fire?

He looked like this because he was protecting her, them, their relationship. Part of her wanted to yell at him and tell him he had been an ass. That he should have just answered the first time. She was angry he was hurt so badly.

As she watched Sam sleep she reined in her anger and let it redirect to the rightful target. She knew, if he had answered that question the madman would simply ask others. The madman would have done this regardless of the questions posed.

She brushed away the tears that threatened. She wheeled closer to him and noticed the slight movement of his eyes. He was dreaming. She hoped at least he was dreaming of something nice.

Sam was currently positioned on his side facing her. He looked so vulnerable and sad even in sleep. So probably not such a happy dream. Jules reached out and took his hand in hers.

In his cool pants gray world Sam was talking to Matt again "I can't."

Matt sat cross legged next to Sam who was lying on his side "You can and you will. You may be many things Braddock but you are not a coward."

Tears threatened to spill again, Sam was sick of crying, he felt so weak crying. But there they were again pricking just behind his eyes. He kept them tightly closed not wanting to allow them to fall for the umpteenth time. "I can't. I won't. If I leave here I will lose her again. I can't lose Jules again. It will kill me."

Sam felt Matt take his hand. It felt different. Not big and calloused. It felt small and delicate. It fit perfectly in his. Sam opened his eyes slowly wondering at the change.

He looked at his hand. He would know that hand anywhere. Small and delicate that could be made into a fist of iron that would leave a bruise if she was pissed off.

As he looked at the clasped hands the area around started to turn from gray to blue. He knew that blue. It was familiar. It was hard to wash off. He watched as the blue spread out. Slowly seeping into his gray world. The blue grew larger and larger consuming the grayness.

Sam felt a sense of calm as he let his eyes move from the hand up the arm and finally to the face. Beautiful. He still couldn't believe how a woman as special and dynamic as Jules could want him. He gazed upon her smiling face for a long time not knowing what to say. Not wanting to break the magic of the moment.

Jules felt a change as she held Sam's hand. There was an almost undetectable change in his breathing. If she hadn't spent so many nights watching him sleep and listening to his breathing patterns she would not have noticed the change. She smiled. He was waking. He was waking into stealth mode, something so ingrained in him.

She leaned in close and whispered "Hey soldier."

Sam blinked as the Santorini blue world around him dissipated and the real world came into view. She was real. She was here. He breathed out "Jules?"

"I'm right here. About time you woke up. You know how Ed feels about you napping on the job" Jules said as she caressed his face. There was so many things she would rather say but the room was open to view and the doctors and nurses would be piling in at any moment as they noticed the change in their patient.

Physical pain he had not felt until now cascaded through his body and he hissed as he moved his hand trying to reach for her face.

"Easy" Jules whispered as she slowly guided his hand back down.

Sam hurt, every inch of him ached or burned with pain. His heart rate increased as the pain increased "Jules."

She heard the strain in his voice "Are you in a lot of pain?"

"Nine" is all he could get out as the nurse and doctor entered. A strong odor assaulted Sam and before anyone could react he had wrenched himself out of bed, ripping out his IV, tearing off the heart monitor leads. He was scrambling backwards into a corner.

The nurse screamed in surprise as she was knocked out of the way. The doctor just stood in the door way shocked at the speed in which his patient had just moved. What was going on?

Jules watched in disbelief as Sam huddled in the corner his arms out defensively as he tried to stand on a leg that would not support his weight. Blood was dripping from the IV location. His eyes wildly looking around. What the hell just happened?

"Sam. Sam. SAM" Jules called out as she saw him starting to slide to the floor unable to stand anymore. She got out of the wheelchair and rounded to the other side of the bed. Moving slowly toward him.

He was now sitting on the floor legs splayed out in front of him. The wild look still in his eyes. Fear. She saw fear in his eyes. She crouched down to his level. "Sam, it's me Jules."

He did not register her as his eyes darted around the room. The doctor recovered and instructed the nurse to go get a sedative. He moved forward and said "Mr. Braddock I need you to calm …"

The closer the doctor got the more frantic Sam's looks became. Jules stood up and turned to the doctor. "Out now."

"He is my patient. He needs to calm down. I will not leave" Dr. Dayton commanded.

Jules quickly glanced back at Sam then back to the doctor. "You will leave, now. I can get through to him" Jules said confidently even though she had no clue what was going on. She only knew she had to get through to him before he injured himself more.

Jules over heard the mumbling from Sam "no, sorry, I'll do better. I promise. No, please."

The doctor moved to step forward again. Jules saw as Sam tried to shrink back more into the corner. "STOP. Can't you see you are making it worse" she said as she stepped between Sam and the doctor.

Just then Greg and Wordy entered the room. Having heard the scream from the nurse they had come running. Wordy took hold of the doctor's arm and pulled him from the room as the doctor resisted saying he had to help his patient. Greg stopped just inside the room guarding the door.

"What happened?" he asked Jules.

Turning back to Sam Jules responded "I don't know." Then she slowly crouched down again and calmly said "Sam. It's okay Sam. I'm here. You are safe here." She watched as his frantic movements started to calm.

"That's right, you are safe. It is safe here. Sam do you know where you are?" she asked.

Adrenaline ebbed away and all pain started again. Listening to the soothing familiar voice cutting through his panic. The smell lingered but was not as strong. That smell meant only one thing. Pain. He had to get away from it. But it was going and there was this voice. It meant safety and acceptance. Sam's breathing started to calm.

Jules moved a little closer "Sam. Are you back with me?" She was almost close enough to touch. But she was unsure if she should. Should she come any closer or would he feel trapped or threatened? She decided to hold where she was and give him a moment to react to her words.

Greg, Wordy, Dr. Dayton and the nurse now were watching quietly as Jules approached Sam.

Jules watched as the fight went out of him. He slumped against the corner his hands dropped at his sides and his head down with his chin on his chest. She heard as he quietly said "Yeah."

"Can I come closer?" Jules queried.

"Yeah" was his same soft answer.

Jules moved close to his side and knelt in front of him. "Sam what happened?"

Keeping his head down Sam replied "Not sure. Smelled something. Must've triggered something."

Jules lightly touched his forearm and said "Okay. We need to get you back in bed. Greg and Wordy are here. Can they come and help you?"

A strong feeling of embarrassment coursed through him. Christ did they always have to witness him at his weakest moments? "Hurts too much to move" he said. Hell it hurt just sitting here but he didn't want to say that.

"I know. Do you want something for pain first? It would have to be a shot though. You've torn out your IV."

An uncontrolled shudder rolled through him as he thought of the needle. He looked at the bandage on his thigh. He just couldn't hack seeing a needle right now. He lifted his head and looked at Jules "No shot. Give me a minute then they can move me and put the IV back in."

Jules nodded and said "Okay. Take as much time as you need."

"Won't take too much." He didn't want to scream out in pain as they move him. Sam lifted his hand knowing exactly what he was going to do. He hoped like hell it wouldn't piss Jules off more but he just could not face a needle. He guessed he was a bit of a coward after all, at least when it came to needles. Sam slammed his fist into his thigh wound causing a brilliant flash of pain followed by sweet black oblivion.

She wasn't fast enough to stop him "Dammit Sam. Greg, Wordy." Both men rushed forward. They carefully lifted an unconscious Sam back into bed. The nurse came in and administered the sedative to keep him out. Then she set about redoing the IV and giving him pain meds. She cleaned and bandaged the old IV site.

While the nurse did her work Wordy asked "What caused that Jules? What did Sam say?"

"An odor, something he smelled" Jules said as the doctor reentered.

Dr. Dayton stepped close to Sam and began to remove the bandage to his thigh to see what further damage his patient had caused. He did a thorough check out then looked to the three waiting off to one side of the room. "For the most part he didn't do much damage. But I'm going to have to re-stitch the thigh wound."

The doctor stepped closer to the group "I think we should keep him sedated for a few hours. If I recall in his chart he is an ex-soldier. Any idea what might have triggered that reaction?"

Greg inhaled through his nose "Sam told Jules it was an odor. I think but cannot be sure but it might be the cologne you are wearing. It is fairly strong and distinctive."

Dr. Dayton looked upset "Darn, I knew I should have showered and changed. I don't normally wear cologne at work. Was called in to cover for Dr. Richmond today at the last minute; just as I was heading out for a date. I'm sorry if I was the trigger."

Wordy said "Perhaps it was the nurse."

Finishing cleaning the fresh blood from around Sam's thigh the nurse looked over and said "I'm not wearing any fragrance, never know if a patient will have an allergic reaction. Doctor I'll be right back with the suture kit."

Jules asked "What is the name of the cologne."

"Not sure, something my eight year old daughter gave me for Christmas last year" Dayton responded. "I can get you the name though."

Greg said "Thanks. Maybe it's nothing be if it is ..."

Jules cut in "We'll help him with it. But right now he just needs to rest. I don't think we should bring it up when he wakes. If he does that will be one thing. But if not we let it be." They all nodded. They all knew Sam had many demons from his past and it was not their place to dig or pry.

Wordy looked at Jules who looked a little pale. He turned the wheelchair around and said "Jules please sit down."

She sat but said "I'll sit but I'm not leaving."

Greg said "Fair enough. Wordy maybe you can go see how Spike is doing. We left him all alone. I'll stay here with Jules and Sam."

"Okay but call me when he wakes again." They agreed to do so and Wordy headed out just as the nurse returned with the suture kit. The doctor worked quickly to re-stitch Sam wound then bandaged it again.

Greg pulled the chair close to Jules and sat down "You haven't eaten since breakfast. I hear that Spike's mom sent a slew of goodies. How about I go get you a little something to eat."

"Not hungry" Jules said watching Sam closely. What terrible memory did that odor bring on? She sighed. He was going to need time and process things. As much as she would want him to talk when he woke from sedation she knew he would be silent or simply deflect so others could not see his pain or insecurities.

Greg knew that look on her face. He got up and said as he headed for the door "I'll be back in a little bit." He headed out to get her food anyways. He would make sure she ate whether she wanted too or not.

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Tenth Floor Break Room**_

Greg sat in the tenth floor break room. His heart was heavy and his mind loaded with worry. He put his elbows on the table and buried his face in his hands. His family was in crisis.

He reviewed the transcript from the call. He should have realized something was up sooner. He should have kept the team together. If he had done that then Sam and Spike and Jules would not have been hurt. Spike clearly was not over whatever was bothering him. He wished Spike would speak to him about it.

Jules was more fragile than ever even though she was putting up a strong front. She was focused on helping Sam and Spike. But she was completely avoiding her brother's overture. He had asked her if she wanted the number and she had flatly refused.

Was she missing an opportunity to reconnect? He knew a bit about re-connecting. It wasn't all sunshine and lollipops but it could be good. Re-connecting with his son was something he had wanted for so long. He knew Jules had tried with her own family many times and had been ignored. But he thought perhaps she should just listen to what her brother had to say. Maybe their was a possibility of re-connecting. But Jules wanted nothing to do with them now.

Sam's current injuries were just compounded by a reaction to an odor. He saw the color rise and knew Sam was embarrassed even though there was absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about. He wondered what god awful memory it triggered. Sam had been through so much over in Afghanistan. More than he would ever share. How would this latest memory affect him?

Then there was Wordy. Ah Christ. The look of loss on his face when he told him of the diagnosis. Wordy was a strong man and this had hit him hard. So hard he hadn't even shared it with Shel. Shel was his rock, his anchor in the storm. Wordy seemed adrift. He hoped he would tell Shel soon. He needed her support. Wordy needed Shel to tell him everything would be okay. Wordy would only believe it coming from her.

Finally there was Eddie. He was still adjusting to the changes imposed by Sophie. He thought they were good changes for the most part. Ed needed to put more focus on his family. He had seen how Ed poured more of his energy into the job. He was glad Ed was being forced to find better balance, but the changes were still tough to deal with.

All this going on while under the microscope of Toth. That bastard expected his team to be perfect. But they were only human. They were doing the best that they could. Everything was falling apart around them. He was second guessing all his decisions. Was he the right one to lead this team?

Greg pushed the thoughts down. He had time to think on that. But right now he needed to get something for Jules to eat. He got a plate and necessary utensils and filled the plate with an assortment of items from Mrs. Scarlatti. He warmed the pasta then headed back to the ICU.

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Sam's ICU Room**_

Greg had stopped on his way to inform Jules's nurses where she was and promised to ensure she was brought back within the next few hours so they could do their vitals checks.

Jules was just where he left her forty minutes ago, next to Sam's bed in the wheelchair holding Sam's hand. He place the plate of food on the table and moved it in front of her. "Jules you need to eat."

"Not hungry" she said not taking her eyes off of Sam.

"Eat or I have to return you to your room. It was a condition for getting to leave your room" Greg lied. He didn't lie too well and hoped she wouldn't catch him in it. But instead she picked up the fork and took a small bite of penne pasta.

Mostly she picked at the food but he was pleased she ate enough. As she set her water down Jules said "Boss I've been thinking."

"Yeah, bout what?" he asked.

Jules stated "Well, when the guys are ready to be released. I don't think Spike will do well at his parents. He never does that's why he stays with one of us. And Sam, he's gonna need help. Walking and using his arm his will be tough for a bit. First I thought that maybe they could both stay at Sam's. But then I remembered Sam said Natalie was living with him. So his spare room is occupied."

She shifted in her seat taking her gaze off Sam for the first time and looking at Greg "Your spare room is now Dean's room. Ed's spare room is now Clark's because Izzy is now in Clark's old room upstairs. Wordy only has one spare room with a double bed."

Greg could see where she was heading so said "You want to take them both home with you."

Jules nodded "Yeah I have the one room downstairs so Sam won't have to navigate stairs. I have the two extras upstairs too. I have the room. I'll be out on leave for a bit but I'm not that bad off."

Greg gave her a look which made Jules sit taller and say "I'm not. Just need to rest is all the doctor said. I think it would be good for Spike to recoup near Sam. And although I haven't talked to Sam yet I think the reverse is going to be true too. From the little Spike said, it got bad in there. I think they are going to have things they need to work out."

He couldn't fault her logic. He said "Are you sure you are up for that."

Jules gave him a small smile "I'm pretty sure there are three guys I can call on for help if I need any with Sam and Spike. But I think it we will be fine. I mean okay, not fine, okay."

Greg smiled at the fine slip up. "Alright, but you know Sophie and Shel are going to want to help. And for at least the first few nights Ed, Wordy or I will stay with you too. As you said it's going to be hard for Sam to move around for a bit. He might need a bit of help even though he won't want it."

"Yeah, he can be a stubborn ass sometimes can't he. But I think that is part of why we all love him" Jules yawned.

Greg chuckled. "Speaking of stubborn, how about I take you back for some rest now. You can come back later. He's gonna be out for some time with the sedative" Greg commented. He was hoping now that she had a plan and had some food in her she would see reason. There was nothing she could do here right now.

Jules realized he had a point but she really did not want to leave even though she was wiped out. She yawned again. Another realization hit her, she was being as stubborn as she accused Sam of being. She should go sleep now because Sam was going to need her when he woke and she's be no use to him dead tired.

"Okay, but only if you promise to bring me back as soon as he wakes. And we don't leave him alone. We get an orderly to take me back and you stay with Sam" Jules bargained.

"Sounds good to me. I'll just go find someone to take you back down" Greg responded.

After Greg left the room Jules stood and leaned close to Sam. "Sam you are coming home with me as soon as you get out of here. So make it quick. I miss waking up cuddled next to you." She kissed him on the lips "I love you Sam." She brushed through his hair a few times then sat back down.

The door was opened and both Ed and Greg entered. Ed looked at Jules and said "Looking a bit better today Jules. I hear they spring you tomorrow."

As she responded "Yeah" Ed grabbed the handles of her chair and pushed her from the room.

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Jules's Room**_

They had made small talk on the way down. Jules asked about Izzy and was regaled with the latest Izzy antics. Jules liked hearing the excitement in his voice as he talked about his daughter.

It would be fun watching Izzy wrapping big, bad, macho Ed around her finger as she grows up. He might even be pulled into doing girly things at some point. Although she also thought that Ed would have his fair share of influence on Izzy. That girl would probably know how to shoot and fish by the time she could walk.

Jules worked to push away that little niggle in her heart that popped up anytime she thought about Izzy. She couldn't help to think what a little girl would look like if she and Sam ever had a baby. She had never really given thoughts to having kids, she was too job focused. But ever since getting back together with Sam, the thought of having his baby filled her with a sense of longing.

Just outside her room Ed said "I heard Connor stayed with you for several hours last night."

"Nice guy. He misses his daughter a lot. He showed me a picture. A little spooky how there is some resemblance" Jules replied.

Ed nodded in agreement "Uncanny huh."

As Jules got into bed she asked "Where did you see a picture of her?"

"In conference room three. Her photo was on the wall with all the officers killed by Vlad. It creeped me out a bit to see Sam and Spike's photo up there" Ed shared as he took a seat in her room.

Jules shifted uncomfortably and queried "Why were you in the conference room?"

Pushing back on the chair balancing on the back two legs Ed answered "Went looking for that tape Connor mentioned in the waiting room. Thought it might be good to watch it to see if there was anything to help Spike with his anger."

Jules cringed. Connor said he'd lock it up. Conference room three had a lock. She asked trying to keep the nervousness from her voice "Did you find it? Have you watched it?"

"No didn't find it in there. I'm just going to have to wait to talk to Connor. Maybe he can let all of us watch it to help Spike." Letting the chair fall back down to all four legs he leaned forward resting his elbows on his thighs and asked "Speaking of Spike. Did you get to see him today?"

Relieved he had not seen the video she adjusted the covers before she responded "Yeah, I don't think we need to see a video. It seems Spike was blaming himself for distracting Sam at that fishery and thinking it was his fault they got taken."

Ed flared as he stood up knocking the chair backward a bit "That's bullshit. From the transcript he did everything per protocol. It is not his fault." Silently Ed added 'it's my fault'.

Jules cocked her head to the side gauging the reaction. Not too surprised Jules realized Ed blamed himself too. Well isn't this just par for the course. Maybe blaming oneself was a prerequisite of being an SRU officer.

She agreed with Ed saying "We all know that, even him. Doesn't mean he's not blaming himself. I was able to get him to think about it. Make him see he did right and there was nothing he could or would have done different. But I know he still needs some time to fully accept it. I think you should take time to reflect on that yourself Ed."

Settling back Jules yawned "I'm just gonna sleep now. You can watch me sleep or maybe go see Spike. Maybe you two can start up a mutual self-blame society."

She gave him a look that said 'stop blaming yourself' and then closed her eyes.

Ed stood for a few minutes. Damn she was good at reading him. "Get some rest Jules. Greg will call me when Sam wakes again. I'll come get you when he does."

As he headed for the door he heard her response "Mmm k."

Closing the door softly he thought back to when it was a choice to keep Jules or Donna. Greg had been right. Team alchemy was important. Jules was the heart of this team. Greg had also been right about allowing Sam and Jules to remain on the same team. Even though Jules and Sam had a previous relationship they worked so well together.

As he headed for Spike's room, Ed wondered what would have ever happened between them if they had been allowed to have a relationship. He pushed the thought aside, protocol was important. There is no way they would be able to maintain priority of life protocol. If they had been in a relationship, Jules would not have been able to be so calm and collected when negotiating with Vlad.


	17. A Man From The Past

**A Man From The Past**

* * *

 ** _Outside Sam's ICU Room_**

Gaston Dupont, the new head of hospital security, stood outside of Sam Braddock's room watching the man sleep as he was watched over by one of the four that were always with him. The shorter of the two bald men was with him now. He decided to wait until Braddock was alone before approaching him. For now he would just watch.

Earlier today while making his initial rounds to introduce himself to the staff and to get a lay of the land, he had been in ICU when monitor alarms started beeping. He had just introduced himself to Dr. Dayton as the nurse came forward to tell the doctor that their patient appeared to be waking. He had followed them and stood in the doorway just behind Dr. Dayton.

He smirked as he recalled seeing Sam scramble in fear into the corner of the room. It took a moment for his mind to age the brat into a man but the resemblance was definitely there. After all these years the brat was still a fearful little girl. He had tried his best to put some steel into the brat. All he got for his efforts was a BCD. That brat had ruined his life.

When he was dishonorably discharged he had gone to the Northern Territories to try and rebuild his life. The best he could do was get into security. It had taken years and constant moving from place to place but he had moved himself into a position of power again. But it was a mere shadow of what he could have achieved if he had never met the brat. Gaston still harbored the hate because he had only tried to make the brat into what his father wanted only to be kicked out of the military.

Seeing the brat all grown up and cowering in the corner gave him a slight sense of satisfaction. As he had watched the petite brown haired woman calm him down he had began to wonder what had become of the eleven year old boy he had known. Gaston wondered what had landed Sam in the hospital so beat up. Recalling the little sniveling brat he thought he likely got jumped and didn't even bother putting up a fight. The brat never did.

Later he had struck up a conversation with one of the ICU nurses. He had been surprised to find out the brat had become a police officer and he had been injured in the line of duty. But he smirked again; the brat never did quite measure up to daddy's standards, his injury was likely caused because he was too timid to act. Probably never even made it into the Army or washed out.

Gaston opened the door and stepped into the ICU room "Good evening, I'm Gaston Dupont, the new head of hospital security."

Greg rose from the chair and took the offered hand to shake it as he said "Sergeant Gregory Parker, SRU. Is there something you need?"

Firm handshake and direct Gaston thought. He would have to go lightly here "I understand we have three of your officers with us. I wanted to touch base with you to make sure you have no special security needs for your officers."

Something about the man set Greg off a bit but he could not place it. He also noticed Sam starting to stir, he seemed agitated even in a drug induced sleep.

Greg answered "No, nothing extra needed at this time. Thank you for stopping by. But Sam needs quiet right now." Greg was moving forward making the security man take steps backward.

He wondered if the recent string of events was making him too jumpy. But something was telling him to get the man out of the room. After everything Sam and Spike had been through Greg was not going to ignore his gut. After six steps Greg had the man in the hall and he said "If we need anything we will contact you."

Gaston smiled politely although in the back of his head he was perturbed that he had been so adroitly maneuvered out of the room. He responded "Very good." He watched as Parker went back into the room and shut the door.

He was surprised that instead of sitting in the chair the Sergeant went to his officer's bedside and placed a hand on his shoulder. He saw as Sam settled back down at whatever words the man had said to him.

As Gaston walked away he was intrigued. Both times he had entered the room Sam had reacted. This bore some further thought. Perhaps he could have some retribution after all.


	18. Conflicts & Lime, Musk and Cedar

**Conflicts & Lime, Musk and Cedar**

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Sam's ICU Room**_

She pasted on a smile as she entered her brother's room. The sight of him still scared her but when she had called Jules last night she felt better that he had at least woken up yesterday even if it was only briefly. She had slept nearly twelve hours but still felt so drained; most likely because she had a tough decision to make.

In as bright a voice as she could manage she looked to Sergeant Parker and said "How'd Sammy do last night? Did he wake up again?"

Greg tiredly rose from the chair and stretched his aching back. "Not so much waking. They stopped the sedation but the pain meds are keeping him pretty much down and out of it. The doctor started to scale back early morning to see if we can get him awake but not be in too much pain."

Inwardly Natalie cringed hearing Sam was in pain. Outwardly she portrayed the steel of a Braddock. Smiling she went to Sam and rubbed his arm. "Morning Sammy. Time to wake up. I can't wait to tell you all about the job I was offered. I can't believe they actually offered it to me Sammy. Me of all people. It's the one with the Marie-Christine Bacque design house. But I really need to talk to you, so it's time to wake up Sammy."

There was no change so she turned to the chair vacated by Greg. Natalie pulled it closer to the bed and sat down so she could still keep one hand on his arm. She had read somewhere that touch was important and she wanted to maintain a connection to Sammy. She wanted him to know he was not alone.

She was conflicted and in two minds right now. She could not leave him alone but she so very much wanted to take the job offer. It was a choice she did not want to make, the timing could not be worse. If she took the job it meant that she had to leave Sam alone while he recouped. If she passed on the offer so she could stay with Sam when he needed her she would miss out on what might be the only opportunity she had to break into the fashion world. She needed to talk to him to decide; she wished he would wake up to help her make her decision.

Greg watched as Natalie lightly rubbed Sam's forearm. He had only met her a while ago and only spoken with her briefly. They all knew Sam had a sister but it was normally the male cousins or his father that showed up when Sam was injured badly. He didn't know much about her but could see she cared a great deal for her brother. But there was something more in her voice as she had spoken to Sam about the job offer.

"So Natalie you were offered a new job?" he said as a way to break the silence.

Looking up at Sam's boss she said "Yeah. They called yesterday afternoon. I want to accept it but they want to send me to Paris for training."

Greg read the very real conflict in her eyes "When do they want you to go?"

Natalie was drawn to him and felt instantly at ease with his soft voice. She opened up "They want me to leave tomorrow morning. They've given me until this afternoon to decide. It's a once in a life-time opportunity for me. I love Marie-Christine designs and have dreamed of working with that design house since I was a teen."

Leaning against the wall Greg asked casually "What do you think Sam would want you to do?"

Her eyes flicked to Sam's face and stayed there as she thought about the question. Returning her eyes to Greg she said "I think he would want me to take it. It is exactly what I've been looking for. But I … I just … I mean the timing is …"

Greg took a chance at completing her thought "You don't want to leave Sam right now." She nodded as she bit her upper lip and ducked her head.

He moved to in front of her and crouched down to eye level. "I know Sam pretty well. I don't think he would want you to miss an opportunity that made you happy."

She looked at him with thoughtful eyes and he continued "He's fairly protective of those he loves and cares for and that extends to all aspects not just physical safety. I believe he would feel bad if you missed this opportunity."

Natalie rolled her eyes "What do you mean 'fairly', more like 'obsessively' protective."

Greg chuckled lightly "You're right of course. So how do you think he would feel if you passed up an opportunity like this?"

"He'd be mad" she answered simply.

"At himself, not at you" Greg clarified.

Natalie nodded then said "But I cannot leave him alone. He's done so much for me. I cannot abandon him now when he needs help. When they let him go home, which I know he will be pushing for once he wakes up fully, he will need help. He's too stubborn for his own good sometimes and would insist on going home. None of the cousins or uncles can get leave right now. Dad can't come right now and it would be too much for Mom alone to handle. Her health has not been good lately."

Patting her knee Greg said "He won't be alone. He has us. We will take care of Sam. In fact Jules and I discussed this already. She is planning on taking both Spike and Sam home with her to recuperate."

"Really!" Natalie said in surprise. She knew Jules would want to take care of Sam but had wondered how she could do it and still maintain their secret relationship. Including Spike was genius. She already really liked Jules but this hitched it up one more notch.

Standing and grinning at her he added "When they are ready to move Sam to a regular room he will join Spike. If Spike is released from the hospital before Sam someone will be with Sam at all times until he is able to be released. I promise you we will not leave him alone. Does that help you make a decision?"

Before she could answer a gravelly unused voice said softly "Take the job Nat."

Both sets of eyes turned to Sam. His eyes were still closed. Natalie said "You're awake?"

Sam forced his heavy eyes open and looked at Natalie "Hmmm." He almost wished he wasn't. Everything hurt so much. His eyes found Greg and he asked with one word "Spike?"

Greg smiled broadly "Spike's doing just fine Sam." He saw how much effort Sam was putting out to just open his eyes. "What's your pain level?"

"Five" Sam lied. He didn't want to go back under just yet. His mind had registered bruising on Jules yesterday and he wanted to know if she was okay but his throat was to dry and mouth felt cottony. "Water?" he managed to get out.

Natalie produced a cup with a straw and put it in his mouth. After several sips he said "Jules neck?"

Nothing got passed Sam, Greg thought ruefully. He was only awake for seconds yesterday but he must have seen the bruising on her neck. "Jules is okay. She is being released today. She will be here later."

"How?" Sam asked.

Patting Sam's leg he said "Later, we will talk later about it all. I'm going to get the doctor to give you another dose of pain meds. I can tell five is not the truth buddy. Rest for now."

Damn they know me too well now Sam thought. Knowing he would not win if he tried to assert he didn't need pain meds. He shifted his eyes to Natalie. "Nat take the job. I'll be okay. What was the offer?" Sam asked because listening to Nat would be a distraction from all the pain.

Natalie launched into telling him about the offer. When she finished she asked "Are you sure I should accept Sammy? I don't want to bail on you. You are important to me."

Sam motioned for more water and she held the cup for him as he sipped. "I'm sure Nat. Sounds like the team has it covered. Make sure the General has all your travel and contact numbers and where you will be staying though. How long will you be gone?" That took an enormous effort to get out and Sam felt the pull of sleep but fought it to hear her reply.

Old habits die hard Natalie thought. Sam still most often referred to their dad as the General when speaking about him. It was nice though to hear him call him dad on those rare occasions they were all together as a family. "I'll make sure everyone has the details. They want me there for at least a month."

Nurse Clarry entered and addressed Greg and Natalie "Can you both please step out. I need to check Sam's vitals and wounds." Then turning to Sam she added "Dr. Dayton will be in later to check you over more thoroughly. What is your pain level?"

Sam said "Five."

Greg cleared his throat and gave Sam a look.

After a moment Sam broke eye contact with Greg. "Eight" Sam conceded to the nurse. Looking back to Greg he said "Happy now Boss?"

Greg smiled "Yeah. You be good for the doctor and nurses. I'll be back later. Going to let everyone know you woke up again. Hopefully they will move you to a regular room soon."

Entering the room Dr. Dayton said "If all checks out it should be early this afternoon." Turning to Greg the doctor said "I have the information you requested. Please stop by my office in about an hour and we can discuss it."

Natalie and Greg stepped into the hall. Greg watched carefully to see if Sam reacted badly to Dr. Dayton today. There was nothing in Sam's demeanor that indicated fear or agitation. He was glad the doctor did not bring up the subject directly in front of Sam. As Greg stepped back and leaned on the wall near Natalie he asked her "So are you going to take the job?"

Natalie responded with a question "You promise to take good care of Sammy?"

"Yes" he answered.

A bright smile lit up Natalie's face. "I believe you. Can't figure out how you got him to be straight with his pain level. But if you can do that then I have no doubt he is in safe hands with you all. So yeah I'll take the offer."

"Good. I'm sure you have packing and preparations to make. Jules should be up as soon as she is released this morning. If she is delayed for any reason Wordy or Ed will be up in a few hours so you can head out and take care of what you need. Do you need any help?" Greg offered. Natalie indicated no.

After a few more moments of conversation about Sam and her new job Greg headed off. He wanted to check on Spike before Connor showed up to take his statement this morning. Greg knew that retelling the events would be tough and he wanted to go make sure Spike was in a good place mentally before allowing Connor access to him.

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Jules's Room**_

After breakfast Jules had dressed and was all ready to go. She paced back and forth impatient for the nurse to bring her discharge papers. She wanted to go check on Sam. After Ed had left last night she had tried to sleep but was kept awake trying to figure out what caused Sam's fear.

Her door opened. She smiled "Here to free me?"

Dr. Jepsen smiled "Most definitely. Sorry about the delay. I had an emergency to attend too." Patting the bed Dr. Jepsen continued "Have a seat. Just wanted to take one last look."

Sitting on the edge of the bed Jules let the doctor probe her neck. Dr. Jepsen concluded her exam and said "Looks good. You still need to be careful not to overuse your voice for at least a week. Also keep scratchy hard items out of your diet for another week to avoid irritating your throat. After a week I'll authorize you for light duty for two weeks since I know how much you all like to get back as quick as possible. After that if you have no problems losing your voice you'll be back to full duty."

Jules replied "Not necessary. I'll be taking time off to care for Sam and Spike. Being two men down we are off rotation for the next three weeks while Ed, Greg and Wordy find and train a few temporary officers."

Catherine Jepsen smiled this was certainly a tight knit team. She said "Glad to hear they will be in capable hands. Let me get the nurse to finish up the paperwork and get you out of here then. Lisa should be back in with it in about ten minutes."

"Thanks doc" Jules said hopping off the bed and shaking her hand.

"My pleasure Jules, do me a favor though. Stay safe out there. I really don't want to see you or your teammates in here again" Dr. Jepsen said as she exited the room not waiting for a reply. What reply could Jules really give? SRU was a dangerous job and Catherine knew that. But she truly hoped she would not see any of them in here again for a long, long time.

Jules paced until nurse Lisa showed up with the paperwork. She signed with a flourish and then shoved her copies of the paperwork into her back pocket. With a quick thanks to the nurse Jules headed for the elevators that would take her to Sam. Finally she would be able to spend time with him, watch over him and take care of him.

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Elevator**_

The elevator doors opened and Jules saw a tall, broad shouldered, muscular man with a graying military style haircut. His id badge indicated he was with hospital security. She smiled at him and entered the elevator noting the button for the ICU floor was already pressed.

As the doors closed she smelled a strong scent of lime, musk, and cedar. The cologne appeared to be over-liberally applied and it was distinct. It smelled familiar, like the cologne that Dr. Dayton had worn yesterday.

Jules shifted so she could observe the man who was a good foot and a half taller than her. He was on par with Ed's height but more muscular. She nodded to him and said "I see you are with security Mr. Dupont. Anything wrong on the ICU floor?"

Gaston recognized the small brunette from yesterday. He was momentarily taken aback at the use of his name until he remembered his id displayed his name in large letters. He politely smiled and said "No Ma'am. Just doing my rounds."

Bristling at the use of ma'am Jules wondered at security doing rounds. Unfortunately she had spent too much time in this hospital to know that they didn't do rounds. They observed from their control room unless there was a problem so she said "That's new."

He watched her tense as he addressed her. Good he liked that reaction, in women a little fear was a good thing. It made them pliable. But then he thought who was she to know of hospital security protocols?

He decided to take a friendly approach first "It is. The new head of security thought it would be good to have the security do random patrols. A very smart man, you never know where the threat is these days. We must stay vigilant and prepared. Are you visiting family in ICU?"

Jules relaxed slightly but did not let her guard down completely as she stared at the man. So there was a new head of security. She could tell by the words the guard used he liked his new boss. But she also got a weird vibe from the man. Jules finally responded "Teammate."

"ICU only allows family. I'm afraid I will have to deny you access" Gaston replied standing taller and taking a step toward her. His taunt was sure to get the information he sought.

Jules didn't like the inflection in the man's voice or the puffing out of his chest nor the attempt to intimidate her. Clear signs the man was trying to establish he was in a position of power.

She stood her ground not backing off and responded coolly and assertively "I am Constable Callaghan with SRU. My teammate Constable Braddock is in ICU. We have standing orders from the doctors allowing us 24/7 access."

Gaston cocked his head to the side and replied "So you say, but I will need to check that with the nurses before I allow you access." The elevator stopped and as they both stepped out he said "I will need to see some id to confirm you are who you say you are."

Jules was tired of dealing with his power trip so she replied "I told you who I was. I have no reason to lie. I do not have my id with me as I was just released from the hospital." She pointed to the bruises on her throat.

"I am going to visit my teammate now. You can check with any of the nurses and they will vouch for me" Jules finished and started to walk away.

He got angry. Who was this stupid little woman to ignore his directive? He reached out to grab her wrist to detain her. She would learn it was a bad idea to dismiss him. He squeezed tighter than he needed to so she would understand who was in charge here.

It was an ironclad hold and his hand easily encompassed her entire tiny wrist. Jules looked down at her wrist then back up to the man's face. "Release me now" Jules said coolly as her body tensed ready to take action.

"Not without id. You are coming with me." Gaston squeezed harder and started to pull her back to the elevator.

What an absolute power hungry jerk was her first thought. She would report him to his boss; the guard should not be treating visitors in such a manner. Her fingers began to tingle from the lack of circulation and Jules was deciding how best to take the man down without hurting him too badly when she saw nurse Clarry step from Sam's room.

Nurse Clarry stepped out of Sam's room all smiles. It was good to see him awake. She had just finished setting up the self-dosing pump the doctor ordered so Sam could be in control of his pain meds. It always worked better that way for him. He could keep the edge off but not become loopy, which he hated.

As she closed Sam's door her eye caught Jules by the elevator talking to the new pompous full of himself head of security. He had a condescending way of speaking to the nurses and he just rubbed her the wrong way. From the look on Jules face she was hopping mad. The man had his hand tight on her wrist too. She rushed over.

Brightly she called out "Hey Jules. I'm so glad you are here. Samtastic is awake right now. If you hurry you might catch him before the pain meds take him back to la la land." She pointedly looked at the hand still gripping the wrist "Is there a problem here Mr. Dupont?"

Gaston asked "Do you know this woman?"

Lois nearly rolled her eyes but stopped herself. However she did put her hands on her hips and her tone was one of a grandmother scolding an errant child as she stated "Yes of course I do. Didn't I just call her by name?"

He still didn't let go so Lois added "This is Constable Jules Callaghan. Please remove your hand from her wrist this instance." She wanted to add if you know what's good for you because she will take you down faster than you can spit if you don't. A small little part of her would like to see that.

"Does she have authorization to be in the ICU?" he asked his grip lessening slightly but annoyed at the woman's tone.

Jules took the opportunity to wrench her wrist away "Hi Lois I'm going to see Sam now. Would you please enlighten Mr. Dupont to who has rights to visit Sam and when so we do not encounter this problem again?"

"Gladly" Lois responded never taking her eyes off the man.

"Thanks" Jules answered then she quickly strode to Sam's room. She rubbed her wrist lightly trying to get the circulation going again. The power hungry jerk held so tightly she was sure to bruise.

Jules flexed her fingers several times before deciding that she would need to report the overzealous security officer to the head of security after she visited with Sam. It wouldn't be good for PR for him to be manhandling visitors in that way when it was unwarranted.

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Sam's ICU Room**_

She stopped just outside Sam's closed room and smiled seeing him relaxed with his eyes half open and listening to his sister. But she could see he was sleepy and likely fading fast as his eyes were slowly blinking. Jules opened the door and called out happily "Hey Sam."

Sam turned to Jules his eyes hooded and wary. The odor was back. It was slight but it was there. He tried to squash the rising feeling of fear. As Jules came forward the scent increased. His breathing became faster. What the hell was going on with him? It's only Jules he told himself. It's Jules. But fear was again rising fast. He had no control over it. What the hell was happening to him was his last rational thought as the scent permeated his nose and sent him spiraling into fear.

Watching Sam Jules became concerned. The closer she got the more agitated he became. Jules glanced at Natalie. She could tell Natalie noticed the marked difference too. Jules stopped next to the bed on the opposite side as Natalie.

"Hey Sam, you okay?" Jules said as she reached out to caress his face. He shrank back into the bed and shied away from her touch trying to move toward Natalie. Jules quickly dropped her hand.

Natalie said confused "Sam it's Jules. You know Jules, your girlfriend. Sam?"

Sam tried again to scoot closer to Natalie hissing in pain at each movement.

Extremely worried Jules backed off. She backed all the way to the door wondering why he was reacting to her in this way. The further she backed off the calmer Sam became. Jules opened the door and exited his room then closed the door and watched stunned. She saw Sam begin to settle as Natalie rubbed his arm and whispered to him. Natalie pushed his pump to dispense pain meds and continued to whisper to him as he drifted off to sleep again.

As she stood there wondering just what the hell triggered the fear this time Ed and Wordy appeared beside her. They took one look at her perplexed and worried face and the happy comments about her being released died before they left their mouths.

Instead Wordy asked "What happened Jules?"

She shook her head and backed to the opposite wall as Natalie slipped out to join them. Natalie said "He's sleeping now. Jules what happened? Why did he react that way with you?"

Ed asked "React how?"

Natalie's eyes were wide and she tucked a stray blonde lock of hair behind her ear as she said "Like he was afraid of her. Like he wanted to get away. I've never seen him react that way ever. Nothing scares Sammy."

Wordy went to Jules "Was it like yesterday?"

Jules pressed her lips together into a tight line and nodded yes still finding it hard to verbalize the feelings that were running rampant through her. She was trying to figure it out and her head was starting to ache from the effort. She lifted her hands to rub her temples. She smelled a faint odor of lime, musk, and cedar as her wrist came close to her nose. She brought her wrist to her nose and inhaled deeply.

Wordy, Natalie and Ed watched bewildered by Jules actions.

Jules inhaled again. It was the hand the security guard had held. It was the same scent as his overpowering cologne. She recalled yesterday. Sam said he smelled something. Oh god it was the same odor. It was so faint on her wrist but somehow Sam still picked up on it.

She looked at Wordy "I'm pretty sure it's the same odor." She lifted her wrist for him to smell. Wordy nodded after inhaling deeply. Jules explained full what happened yesterday, in the elevator then what happened in Sam's room just now so everyone was on the same page.

Ed said "So he's reacting to an odor. Did the doctor ever tell you what the cologne was?"

Wordy replied "I think he was going to find out then tell the Boss. We should check with him."

Pissed off that Sam had to deal with more crap Ed walked to the window and peered in at Sam. His friend was lying in a bed completely vulnerable and he felt the need to protect and help him but was unsure just how to do that. He turned back to the others "I wonder if it could have to do with the abduction. Maybe he is associating the smell with what happened to him and Spike in that basement?"

"Possible" Wordy agreed. Then he added "Beyond the little that Connor had shared none of us has any clue what happened to them in that room." It bothered him that Connor refused to say any more about the contents of video until he took statements from both Spike and Sam.

"I think we should go ask Spike" Ed stated.

Wordy shook his head "Can't right now. Remember Connor is taking his statement." Seeing the frustration of inaction rising in Ed, Wordy knew Ed needed to take some sort of action. Ed never did well just standing around.

He quickly thought and then said "Ed maybe you can go ask the head of security to speak with Mr. Dupont? Then you can ask him what he was wearing. That way when we find out the doctor was wearing, we can see if it is indeed the same scent. If it is we can go from there and maybe ask Connor about it if it is the same scent."

Lois Clarry overheard Wordy's comments when she exited another patient's room. "Excuse me, I don't mean to stick my nose in, but Mr. Dupont is the head of hospital security. He's new, started a few days ago."

Ed looked at the nurse "Lois, are you sure he is the head of security?" Nurse Clarry nodded yes as she hurried off to her next patient. The ever present underlying rage started to boil as he recalled Jules recounting of the elevator ride and arrival on the ICU floor.

Part of Jules wanted to wash her wrist right now. She hated that the scent on her had frightened Sam. But she did not go wash it off. She would after Spike had an opportunity to smell it. He might know. Jules said "I'll go down to Spike's room and wait until Connor is done. Find out if Spike knows the scent."

Natalie was conflicted again about going and leaving her brother. Sammy was never afraid. It freaked her out that he had been so frightened. This caring for others and whole responsibility thing was still so new to her; it was so hard to change old ways. She wanted to cut and run like she always did in the past when things got too intense. Was she doing that now with the job? No! She soothed herself by reminding herself that Sammy told her to go, to take the job.

She looked at Sammy's teammates. They were all very concerned. Investigating was their thing they would figure it out. Natalie trusted them to take care of Sam. They had before and they were probably much more capable of doing so then her. So even though a part of her didn't want to leave she said "I have to go. Sergeant Parker said Wordy or Ed would be able to stay with Sammy when I had to leave."

Wordy saw the indecision in Natalie's face and said "Yeah the Boss told us. Congratulations on the job. Don't worry Natalie, I'll stay with Sam. We'll take good care of him for you."

Jules was in the dark as to why Nat was leaving so she asked about it and Natalie told her. Jules hugged her and promised they would take excellent care of Sam and keep her apprised of his condition. Natalie gave Jules a covert wink and told her she didn't doubt that she would take good care of Sammy. Wordy entered Sam's room while the other three headed for the elevator.

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Security Room**_

As Ed rode down to the security office on the second floor he was stewing. He saw Jules wrist starting to show bruising from where the man had gripped her wrist. The finger prints were becoming defined and moving from reddish to bluish in color.

He was already in a foul mood because of what happened to Sam, Spike and Jules at the hand of Vlad. But now a security guard had dared to hurt one of his team. Flashes of Vlad strangling Jules intermixed with images he conjured of this man restraining Jules wrist. He was ready to explode.

He opened the door to the security offices and saw a young man sitting at a bank of monitors. Ed said firmly "I need to speak with Mr. Dupont."

The young man startled. He looked at the man who entered. "He's in his office, can I …" that's as far as he got when the tall bald man dressed in jeans and a black button down shirt strode towards Mr. Dupont's office door.

Ed barged into the office not bothering to knock. The door banged into the wall and swung back towards him. He raised his hand to stop it from hitting him on the rebound as he stood in the doorway.

Gaston looked up at the intrusion into his private office and angrily yelled "What is the meaning of this?" He stood and continued "Who the hell are you?"

Ed stared at him icily "You dare hurt another member of my team and I will personally see you arrested for assault."

Not intimidated Gaston came out from behind his desk "I have no clue what you are talking about and if you do not leave I will have guards escort you from the building."

"Oh I'm not leaving. You go right ahead and call the police. I believe you won't like the response you get" Ed icily stated.

Gaston took stock of the infuriated officer in front of him. He had just finished researching the SRU. After last night's encounter with Sergeant Parker and the recent encounter with Constable Callaghan he decided he needed to know more about Sam Braddock's police career.

In front of him was Ed Lane, the team leader. He could tell he was a hardass. He knew how to handle men like him. Hell he had broken more than his fair share of them in his drill sergeant days.

He sat on the edge of his desk and dropped his voice "Is that so. I will ask only one more time. Who are you and what do you want?"

Ed reined in his rage, pissed again at letting it loose and not maintaining better control. He watched the man closely. His first impression was military bearing, drill sergeant material. Dropping his voice but keeping it icy he said "I am Constable Ed Lane with SRU. You assaulted Constable Callaghan when you grabbed her wrist."

Smoothly Gaston responded "I was just doing my job. I have a duty to ensure the safety of the patients. She had no id and ignored my request to produce such before entering ICU. I was well within my rights to detain her."

Technically he was correct but Ed replied "The use of force was excessive given the situation."

"What I just held her wrist to stop her. What is excessive about holding a wrist?" Gaston retorted.

Ed responded "The bruising will show the amount of force you used. It was clearly excessive."

Gaston rose and headed back to his chair. He scoffed "Not my fault she is a delicate little flower that bruises easily. She should not have ignored my command."

Feeling his rage rise again he tamped it down hard. Jules did not bruise easily unlike Sam. It took lots of force for her to bruise. He would not debate that point. Instead he said "You will not last long in this position if you continue to treat visitors in such a manner. You will not lay a hand on Officer Callaghan again."

Smirking Gaston said "If she can't handle things herself and needs a man to protect her she has no business being a police officer. Let alone an SRU Officer."

Ed laughed. He laughed deeply unable to stop it from bubbling up. The ice in his eyes and voice belied the laugh as he said "The warning was not to keep her safe. It was to keep you safe. I wouldn't want to be you if you try to manhandle her again. You just might need the services of the ICU doctors when she gets done with you."

The laughter irritated Gaston beyond belief. This man was laughing at him. He was actually insinuating that a mere slip of a woman could harm him. Bullshit. He might just have to wipe that grin off the man by proving him wrong.

With a straight face that did not give away his internal thoughts Gaston said "Well then she better follow hospital rules if she doesn't want to run afoul of me again. This is my A.O. and I will determine how it is run. Now if there is nothing else, I have real work to attend to. See yourself out."

A.O. was a military term for area of operation. Ed decided his first impression was correct, military background. His arrogance and attitude further confirmed it. Ed recalled the other reason he needed to speak with the arrogant ass. "What cologne are you wearing?"

The left field question took Gaston by surprise and he answered before thinking "Dominion." He was just formulating his words to ask why when the SRU officer turned on his heel and strode out. He rose and walked to his door. He saw his young security guard staring at him. "What are you staring at Smith? Get back to work" he barked as he slammed the door behind him.

He sat back down and pondered the question. It was odd to say the least. On his computer monitor he pulled up the views from the security cameras in ICU. He remotely adjusted the angle of one of the cameras. He now had a view directly into Sam's room.

Next he pulled up the cameras on the tenth floor and adjusted the one outside room 1016. He would be able to watch who came and went in Sam's teammates room too. It might be a bit more difficult than he initially thought to get revenge on Braddock.

Gaston knew it might take some time but he would find a way to teach Sam a lesson he would never forget. It would be like old times. Well maybe even better because he wouldn't have to be careful to cover the results of his endeavors this time.

As he contemplated how to exact his revenge he thought that the little bitch might need a few lessons too. He would enjoy doling out the punishment. It was good he was a patient man. He would do a bit more research. Then he would watch and wait to find the right time to strike back.

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Outside Spike's Room**_

As Jules made her way to Spike's room she thought hard about Sam's reaction. It made her sad and angry at the same time. But the more she thought about it the less she suspected it had anything to do with the abduction. She had seen the video. There was no reaction like that at all on the tape which made her doubt the scent was present in the basement.

When she passed the small sitting area near the window she saw Greg. She sat heavily in a chair next to him crossing her arms over her chest "Morning Boss."

Greg's smile dissipated quickly "Jules what's the matter? They did release you didn't they?"

Without moving Jules said "Yes they released me. It's not that. It's Sam." She then related what had transpired so far that morning. Ending she said "So, how long do you think Connor will be with Spike. I can't wait to wash this scent off me."

He had listened carefully to all she had to say and he was not happy. Greg answered "Connor's been with Spike for about an hour and half now. I expect they would be wrapping up soon. Go wash up Jules."

She shook her head "I can't. Need Spike to be able to take a whiff."

Greg said "Let me smell." Jules uncrossed her arms and raised her wrist to him.

Seeing the bruised wrist for the first time Greg blurted out "What the hell happened to your wrist Jules?"

"I told you. The new head of security detained me" Jules said blandly.

Greg knew there was something he did not like about the man last night. If he did this there was clearly something off about the man. Greg was glad he followed his gut and moved him out of Sam's room.

Turning in his chair to face Jules fully Greg said matter-of-fact "Jules that grip was excessive to cause bruising like this. I'm going to speak with the hospital director. This cannot be allowed to happen. The man is supposed to be here to keep the hospital safe. He cannot go around hurting people."

Then a small grin and a twinkle appeared in his eye "So how bad did you hurt him Jules?"

Jules huffed "What makes you think I hurt him?" Greg just cocked his head to the side and looked at her.

She let out a small growl "Right. I know. I know. But, no I didn't hurt him. I did nothing. Nurse Clarry came out of Sam's room before I took action. Can we get back to the important subject?" She lifted her wrist to just below his nose.

After inhaling deeply he said "I'm almost certain it is the same as Dr. Dayton's cologne. I went to his office earlier. He brought it in for us." Greg reached for a tissue from a box on the table then pulled a small bottle from his pocket sprayed it on the tissue and sniffed. He held it out for Jules to smell.

"Yeah, I'd say it was the same. Smells of lime, musk and cedar" Jules said. Then asked "What is it called?"

Holding up the bottle Greg answered "It's an oldie, was very popular thirty years ago. It's called Dominion. Dr. Dayton said his ex-wife told him his daughter found an unused bottle at a yard sale and wanted to get it for him for Christmas. He only wore it yesterday to please his daughter when she begged him to wear it on his date. Says he really doesn't like the fragrance and that he was more of an Old Spice guy. After what happened yesterday he doesn't want the bottle back."

Jules got up and headed to the ladies room. She could not be rid of this scent of lime, musk and cedar fast enough.


	19. Nebulous Fear, Spike's Vow & Twins

**Nebulous Fear, Spike's Vow & Twins **

* * *

_**Hospital – Sam's ICU Room**_

Slowly the world around him filtered into his mind. First he heard the telltale sounds of monitors, he hated those. It meant he was in a hospital. Although he hated hospitals it was much better than being in that basement.

Concentrating on the sounds around him next he heard soft regular breathing not his own. Someone was in his room and sleeping. He listened trying to see if he recognized the breathing. Too hard he thought but he decided not to open his eyes and identify the person yet.

As he woke more fully a deep sense of fear he could not understand held him in its grip. He recalled a smell triggering the fear but even without the odor now the fear would not recede. It was not overwhelmingly intense right now, more mid-level telling him to be vigilant and on guard. Sam had no clue what could cause this reaction in him.

Why was he scared? Contrary to what most people thought he had been scared plenty of times, he just hid it behind his masks. But each time in the past the fear was the result of a concrete and discernible threat. Something he could focus on and neutralize. But this was nebulous, a freaking odor with no physical manifestation he could defend himself against.

This fear was so different from what he had ever experienced. Fear usually made him want to meet it head on, to fight. But this fear made him want to run and hide. It made him feel small, weak and helpless and all he could do in its presence was to cower and plead even though he wanted to run.

It dawned on him that the last time the fear overwhelmed him he had shrunk from Jules. Jules of all people. The person he trusted more than any living person. The one he felt safest with. How could he be scared of Jules?

The sound of a door opening stopped his thoughts in their tracks. He pushed hard to control the rising fear. He hated the feeling he wanted to run away. Sam wasn't sure how but he forced himself to remain in his stealth awake state waiting and listening for danger. But it was hard to hear with the pounding rush in his head created by the fear.

Nurse Clarry entered the room and smiled taking in the sight. Sam was peacefully sleeping and Wordy had nodded off. She moved quietly not wanting to wake either man. But Lois had a habit whether her patients were awake or asleep to tell them what she was doing. So stopping next to the bed and monitors in a soft whisper Lois Clarry said "Well my sweet boy let's see how you are progressing. Let's start with your blood pressure shall we."

She pressed the button that would take his blood pressure, the cuff already wrapped on his arm. Sam felt the familiar tightening of the cuff around his upper arm then the slow release. As the cuff did its thing Sam could just make out the soft grandmotherly voice of nurse Clarry. Some of the fear ebbed away.

Nurse Clarry kept up running commentary of what she was doing as she took all his vitals and checked his wounds. When she was finished she looked at the sleeping man. She picked up his hand and held it a moment.

Her voice was soft, gentle and caring. "You know little Sara still speaks of you from time to time. I babysat her last night and as she crawled into bed out of the blue she told me that you were hurt, sad and scared right now. I asked her why she thought that. She said she didn't know why, only that she knew you were. But then she told me that although it would take some time you would eventually be okay. She said you would find a way to fight what you were afraid of."

Hearing this Sam slowly opened his eyes a slit and looked at nurse Clarry. She was looking at the monitor at the moment and did not see. He studied her profile in the semi-darkened room. What was it about little Sara Clarry that allowed her to look into his soul? He didn't so much believe in supernatural or God but that day long ago there was something so innocent and pure about that little girl's eyes. Somehow their souls had touched and made him feel safe.

Sam's throat felt parched and it was hard to form words but he managed to rasp out "Do … you … believe her?"

Slightly startled by Sam's words Lois Clarry looked back to Sam. She wondered how long he was awake and how much he had heard. "How long have you been awake? How much did you hear? Wait before you answer, take a sip of water my boy."

Sam took several sips of water from the cup she held for him. His throat was thankful for the cool sensation of the water easing the sandiness of his throat. When he finished he said "Awake when you came in. All of it."

Her eyes widened a bit. She could have sworn he was asleep the entire time. She smiled and said "That's some skill you have there. Bet it has come in handy a time or two." Sam just nodded.

With gentleness in her eyes and voice Lois Clarry answered his previous question. "Young man I've seen so very much in this world in my years; some of it without a good explanation. My granddaughter is sweet normal girl for the most part. But occasionally she says things out of the blue about others she has met. When we have the opportunity to verify, which we mostly don't, the things she says turn out to be true. So yes I believe her."

Part of her wanted to ask if Sara was right, was he sad. Lois knew he was hurt and she knew he had been very scared twice since he was here. She knew he had been held captive and that would be frightening too. She wanted to reassure him he would be alright but didn't have the words.

She leaned over and kissed his forehead then simply said "Try to get some rest. Your family is here to make sure you are safe. They haven't left you alone since you arrived. In a few hours if your vitals remain good the doctor plans to move you to Spike's room. Close your eyes and rest now, your body needs it to heal."

Sam just watched and listened. She was exactly the type of grandmother he wished he had had. But both of his had died when he was very young and he didn't remember them. Her presence and the words of Sara helped him push the fear away slightly. But he wasn't so sure yet that he would be able to fight the fear.

There was nothing tangible about it to fight. It was like air, it was all around him. With every breath it coursed throughout his body and made him want to flee. He did as she asked and closed his eyes but he knew getting rest would be unattainable. Even with his family here he could not let his guard down.

This nebulous fear had taken root in him and he did not know what to do or how to fight it, he just knew it meant danger and pain. It was so encompassing it overrode even the guilt he felt for betraying Jules and the guys.

Lois smiled as Sam's eyes closed. She patted his hand and said "I'll be back later sweet boy."

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Spike's Room**_

Spike sat quietly. He was drained. Giving his statement Connor and reliving the abduction and the rest had been so hard. However what was harder was watching the video. Part of him did not want to but part of him did. Jules had watched so he felt he should too.

It was different watching than being in the thick of it. It was surreal almost like watching a movie. But this was no made up movie, it was real. The pain he saw in their faces and the grunts and groans and screams were all too real.

Some of it he didn't even remember like dressing Sam's wounds. His concussion must have muddled his mind a lot more than he had originally thought. He must have been on auto-pilot, driven to not let his brother die.

Watching the part where he was out cold for hours and seeing Sam thrash about and scream in terror as feverish nightmares plagued him was tough. He wanted to reach into the video and wake himself up so he could help Sam. He wondered at what the nightmares were about. Were they related to the torture he had just endured or something in his past?

For the most part Spike tried to focus on his reactions to Sam. He tried to look at it from Sam's perspective. What did Sam see? What he saw hurt him more.

His reaction when Sam finally revealed Jules name could be construed as rejection instead of what it really was. He saw the wounded look on Sam's face when he had closed his eyes and looked away from Sam. Sam would not be able to interpret that as his inability to witness Sam's pain.

Sam would see it as rejection for a perceived betrayal. Exactly what that bastard Vlad was striving to get from them. Without even realizing it he had given that sick bastard what he wanted.

Memory of what Winds and Jim described after Matt had died entered his head. How they had been unable to look into Sam's shattered pain filled eyes not because they blamed him for Matt's death but because it hurt too much to see his pain. He understood now more than he wanted too the depths of pain that his brother's eyes could express. God that hurt.

Would Sam believe now what he believed back then? Hell yeah he would. The video did not lie. He saw the moment Sam broke and believed Spike would never forgive him. Spike wondered if Sam was aware enough to recall his apology for lying or Spike's vow to keep his secret. Sam was so out of it and in so much physical pain at the time it was doubtful he would remember.

He was stunned by the primeval rage as Sam broke his bonds and went after the bastard. Sam had been taken to the absolute edge. Driven to the point he could have killed in cold blood. Part of him was glad Sam had been stopped even though it meant he suffered more physical pain.

Spike didn't think Sam would survive if he had actually killed Vlad. The emotional toll would have been too great for Sam to take if he had succeeded. Sam would not have been able to reconcile that action with who he was, of that Spike was sure.

He knew that the path back for Sam was going to be difficult. It was going to be hard for him too. But he had no illusions that it would be as hard as Sam's. However tough it might be he would not abandon his brother. He vowed that Vlad would not win. Vlad would not break either of them. In fact it would make them stronger as they got through it together.

Connor sat quietly watching Spike come to terms with what he had seen and had gone through. He felt for the man in front of him. He had watched but made no comment as the tears had fallen unheeded as Spike viewed the video.

He had provided a headset so the sounds would not echo around the room or be overheard. Even though it was just the two of them he was unsure how far Greg had gone. He might be right outside the room. It wouldn't do for him to overhear the video. Ed was hounding him to view it. But he could not do that until he had a chance to see what Jules, Spike and Sam wanted.

Spike swiped at his eyes and cleared his throat. He looked at Connor and said "I want you to destroy that. No one needs to see Sam like that. He's been through enough."

Connor nodded "I understand. Jules has made the same request. I will wait until I've spoken with Sam too. If that is what he wishes also I will make sure it happens in a manner that is unquestionable."

Scrutinizing Connor's face Spike asked "Destroying evidence could hurt your career. Why would you do this for us?"

Holding a steady gaze on Spike Connor answered "Too much hurt in this world. Rules are important, but when the rules do more harm than good I find it hard to follow them. Vlad is dead. There is nothing further to be gained by allowing this video to be seen by anyone else. None of you asked to be part of his sickness. He's harmed too many already. I cannot allow him to harm any of you further."

Spike nodded and said "What about my statement? I told you all of what transpired. What of the recording?"

Connor picked up the recorder "Bloody hell, I must be getting daft in my old age. Can you believe I forgot to hit record?" Tossing the recorder into his pack he flapped the notepad he had been taking notes on while Spike had given his statement. "Guess I'll just have to rely on my notes. Wish I had taken more."

Both men grinned. Spike said "I owe you a beer."

Connor replied "Nope, more like I owe you and your team one. Without all of you I would have never known the true nature of how my beautiful Alice died."

The two men spent the next half hour conversing about anything and everything except the case. Neither man wanted to deal with the heaviness of it at this moment.

As Connor rose Spike asked "When will you be speaking to Sam?"

Picking up his pack he responded "Today if he is able. I don't want to rush him. But I don't want to wait too long either because until I interview Sam none of you are allowed to discuss it with him." As he headed out the door Connor asked "You want some time alone or do you want me to let your team know we are done?"

"Let them know we are done please. I don't necessarily want to be left alone with my thoughts just now" Spike answered.

Connor took one last look at the man. He could tell he was hurting. It was a good thing he trusted his team and wanted them near. They would help him get through this. "Okay, will do. Take care Spike."

* * *

 _ **Five Days Later: Dupont's Apartment**_

He unlocked the door and entered his apartment then turned and locked the door out of habit. He was frustrated. In the past five days Sam had not been left alone once in the hospital. One of his team was always there. They had waited one more day before they moved him from ICU. That inspector or detective guy from Interpol wanted to interview him alone. So he had not been moved until the next afternoon to the room shared by his teammate Spike.

Over the past four days he had watched on the monitor as numerous people came and went from their room; usually only staying a few minutes unless it was a teammate. He wished he had a camera in the room to watch why they stayed only a short time. He did some discreet asking around and found out that both men were well liked by the staff at this hospital. Jesus, he thought he'd puke the next time someone called the brat Samtastic.

In one of his frequent rounds on the tenth floor he overheard two nurses talking and found out some interesting information. Although Spike had been scheduled for release two days ago the doctor found reasons he needed to stay. One of the nurses explained to the other it was probably the only way they could keep Samtastic down and from leaving AMA as he was prone to do.

But both of them had been released late this afternoon. Watching them wheel out the brat from the room he was a bit shocked at what he saw. There was no way he would have or could have left on his own power going AMA. The brat looked as bad as he did in the ICU, maybe even a little worse. He was slumped in the wheelchair and did not interact with any of the teammates that were surrounding him. He remained silent and non-communicative the entire way out of the hospital.

It was in sharp contrast to the other teammate in a wheelchair. It looked like Spike was doing an animated running commentary when speaking to the brat. But he caught several glimpses of concern when he looked at that bitch Jules and the one they called Wordy.

He placed his keys and phone in the bowl near the door. Next he removed and hung up his jacket in the entryway closet then headed for the kitchen. He had been surprised to hear from his brother this afternoon. He had gotten a call from his home phone only to find out he was in town and in his apartment.

As he entered the kitchen amazing aromas met him. He stopped just inside the kitchen doorway and asked "Gaston what are you cooking us for dinner?"

Gaston Dupont called out from the stove "Just something I whipped up with things you had on hand. I call it Poulet au Porto. Set the table it's almost done Gerard."

Gerard Dupont washed his hands then set the table. Next he opened the bottle of wine Gaston motioned to and poured two glasses. He sat at his kitchen table, sipped wine and nibbled on French bread as his brother plated their dinner. "What exactly is Poulet au Porto?"

Laughing his brother said "Chicken breast tenderloin sautéed with a white port, mushroom cream sauce. I'm serving it with angel hair pasta and sautéed asparagus in lemon butter tonight Gerard."

Both ate in silence for a bit then Gerard asked "How did you get in here today?"

"You really have to ask?" Gaston snickered.

"Well I know you can't pick a lock to save your life. So how?" Gerard retorted.

Shaking his head Gaston replied chuckling "Your apartment manager was so kind when I said I locked myself out. Well actually you locked yourself out. Or is that really me that was locked out. Anyways you get the point. He opened up with the master key."

Stabbing a piece of asparagus Gerard stated "I know we are identical twins and all but damn the apartment manager must really be blind. Your hair is at the shoulders and mine is a high and tight. How the hell could he think you were me? Hair don't grow that fast."

Shrugging his shoulders and picking up his wine glass Gaston said "Don't know. He might be a dash senile, but more likely just drunk as a skunk." He took a sip then added "So it's been a few days since we talked. How's the new job going? The last time we spoke the hospital director was giving you some grief. Still having problems with him?"

Gerard Dupont shook his head and grinned "Nope. I snowed that simpleton easily. I profusely apologized and said some crap about not realizing I was holding onto her that tightly. Said some other bullshit about being worried for the officer in ICU seeing as though he had been abducted, beaten and shot and I was not sure if any accomplices might still be in the vicinity. Told him I was being proactive to keep him safe from further harm. Then I told him I was adding extra rounds on the tenth floor to ensure the other officer's safety too. Seeing that I was new and did not know who his teammates were he bought it all. It is all smoothed over."

Gaston finished a mouthful of chicken and said "As always making my name a shining star of a concerned security man."

Snorting Gerard said "Yeah I guess, but you're not doing so badly with my name. You're making me out to be some hot shot chef as you work your way around the Provinces. This is damned good by the way. This is how you get all your women I have no doubt."

Smiling Gaston said "You have no idea how many women fall for a man that can cook French cuisine."

Pouring more wine Gerard asked "So what are your plans. Why have you come to Toronto? We decided long ago that it is no good for us to be in the same city. Might ruin things. I've finally got a good position here so it's you that will need to leave."

"No worries brother, I'm just here a few days on vacation between jobs. Got a new gig in Montreal at a restaurant called La Petite Paris. Just hoping to spend some time with my favorite brother for the next five or six days if that is alright with you?" Gaston explained.

Swiping his plate with bread to get the remainder of the cream sauce Gerard said "I'm your only brother you idiot. I guess it will be okay but not any longer than that. Just remember if we are seen together in public to call me Gaston. No slipping up again, too risky. I've a good thing going here and I don't want you screwing it up for me. Oh and you make dinner each night as payment."

Gaston frowned at his brother. Sometimes he could be just too damned full of himself and overbearing. He replied petulantly putting strong emphasis on his own name "Sure, no problem _Gaston_."

Gerard glared at Gaston but remained silent. His little brother by all of ten minutes could get whiney like a little girl at times. He had tried hard to rid him of it but he still persisted. It sucked that he shared the same DNA with him.

His whininess was one of his hidden reasons for them never living in the same city. If he spent more than a few days with his brother he would be sorely tempted to try and beat it out of him. He came close lots of times when they were growing up but was always able to stop at a single backhand or shove.

Downing the last of his wine Gaston didn't know if it was courage from a bottle or not but for the first time ever he held his brother's glare. Then showing a little backbone to his brother for once he added testily "And just for the record it's been well over seventeen years since I slipped up in public Gerard."

Feeling braver when no backhand resulted from his words Gaston continued in a stronger tone "Remember, this was all your idea so you could get work in the security field after your BCD. Hell I've played along for so many years I've spent almost half my life answering to Gerard instead of Gaston. In fact the only time I answer to Gaston is when you call me that. So back off and cut me some slack."

Gerard still remained silent after his brother finished. As much as he hated the whininess he hated being challenged more. Gaston needed to show him the proper respect. As the elder brother he was the one in charge and set the rules.

Not a rash man, everything he did was cold and calculated he would have to think on how to bring his brother back in line. A thought started formulating in his head. It might work out just perfect that his brother was here now. He could get his revenge on the brat and if anything went wrong his brother would take the fall.

Smiling broadly Gerard asked "You remember the General's brat that started us down this path?"

Gaston was taken aback at the swift change of subject and the smile on his brother's face but answered "Yes."

He certainly did remember the little boy who Gerard said cried wolf and accused his brother of abusing him. He saw him once outside the courthouse during the court martial. He remembered seeing a little blonde boy with sad blue eyes. He was being escorted into the courthouse. He was surrounded by the General and three other high ranking officers; one from the Air Force, one from the Navy and another from the Army. All the men wore fierce scowls that said they would kill to protect the boy.

Standing and gathering the dishes to wash them he asked "Why?"

"He's here and I'm thinking it's about time for a little revenge" Gerard stated.

The dishes clattered into the sink. Gaston's stomach turned. What the hell was his brother thinking? That was so long ago. He wanted revenge on a little boy who was likely telling the truth even though it could never be fully proven. Well the boy would be a man now. Still what the hell was Gerard thinking?

Gaston's stomach turned again. Maybe he should just leave now. He could not see anything good coming from this. Pulling on the little backbone he had shown earlier he said "It's in the past. Why don't you just leave sleeping dogs lie? There's nothing to be gained by seeking revenge after so many years. You said yourself you have a good position here. You should …"

His words were cut off as Gerard backhanded him hard and yelled "Shut up Gaston. You were always a little weakling. The brat has to pay for ruining my career. I was only doing my job. It's not my fault the brat was such a pansy and could not hack the discipline. He went crying to daddy and I got kicked out. You're gonna help me with this do you understand me?"

Gaston slightly nodded and started washing the dishes. There was never any reasoning with Gerard when he was angry. He should have known better than to come here. Spending time with Gerard always ended up costing him. Why couldn't his brother be normal like him? Why did he want so much control?

He could never figure out why Gerard and he were so different from one another. He thought not for the first time a psychologist might have a field day with them. The whole nurture versus nature debate might go out the window. They were identical twins raised together with the same environment until they were eighteen and Gerard joined the Army. But they had always been so very different. He hoped that the price he paid for coming to visit Gerard this time would not be too high.


	20. First Night At Jules Home

**First Night At Jules Home**

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home - Kitchen**_

Jules walked into her kitchen and sighed deeply as she saw the congregated group of men. They all wore nearly the same expression she probably wore; one of concern and frustration. Gathered around her kitchen were Spike, Greg, Ed, Wordy and Connor.

She understood their concern so she didn't shoo them all out of her house. But they did not understand that Sam just needed time. They wanted results now. The more they pushed the more he would resist and clam up. Their hearts were in the right place but their methods were wrong.

Jules sighed deeply again. She had tried to get them to back off but had been unsuccessful, hence the reason they were all here now. Pulling out a stool she sat and said "He's sleeping. I turned on music. If you talk very softly then he won't overhear if he wakes. Remember his hearing is _very_ acute."

Spike was sitting next to her and reached out to hold her hand "We know Jules. But we can't sit back and do nothing." Spike was at a total loss of what to do. Nothing he had tried over the past four days made a difference. He was very worried. He looked at the others "So any idea what are we going to do?"

Rubbing his head first Greg started the conversation "I know that Dr. Tansy could probably help. I've been trying to reach her for three days now. On my way over I tried again and her phone was answered but it wasn't Dawn, it was her husband Michael. He explained that the reason Dawn was not answering her phone is that she was in a car accident in Ottawa five days ago. She is currently laid up in traction in the hospital from a complex, compound leg fracture. He said she is on high dosage of morphine and is mostly out of it right now."

Wordy blew out a breath "Man when it rains it pours. Damn, it sounds like no help will be coming from her any time soon. I hope she will be okay. Did Mr. Tansy say?"

Greg nodded "Michael said the doctors expect she will recover fully but will be in the hospital for the next three weeks at least. She has another surgery to go through to set the bones properly later this week." Everyone had the same reaction, hoping Dawn recovered quickly but frustrated she would not be able to help Sam right now.

Leaning up against the sink Ed said "I got a return call from Blaze last night. Gave him the sit rep and he was at a loss. He and Winds could recall nothing from any of their missions that would account for it. They were not sure if anything in the missions Sam went on outside their unit might be responsible."

Wordy added "Struck out with Jim too. He said although the quietness was very typical the fear he is exhibiting is uncharacteristic for Sam. Something we all know anyways."

Jules tried again "Guys he just needs time. Whatever it is he will talk about it in his own time. You can't push him."

Ignoring Jules, Ed turned to Connor his voice filled with frustration "Are you sure nothing happened when you interviewed him?"

Connor felt like he was on the hot seat as Ed's eyes bored into him "As I told you all before nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Sure he was quiet as he reported out. But after what they went through that would be expected. He was composed as he gave a detailed account of what he could recall from the point of arriving at the fisheries. His tone was even but I did notice it was mostly emotionless. It was like he was giving a report out on office supplies or something mundane and non-emotional."

Moving away from Ed. Needing a physical barrier against the waves of frustration and barely controlled rage the man was feeling Connor went to the other side of the kitchen island.

Then Connor continued "His account of events coincided with Spike's. No red flags. There were gaps in his recollection which I fully expected; those periods when he was unconscious or feverish. Again as I said no red flags; I wish I had something more for you to go on." Connor truly did wish he had some information or answer that would help but he did not.

Ed's anger was still simmering just below the surface. He had pushed for the last eight days to view the video but Connor stalled him at every turn. He was positive there would be something in the video that could help. The transcripts of the interviews of Sam and Spike painted a terrible picture of what happened but there had to be more. There had to be something that accounted for the unnatural fear Sam was displaying.

Pushing away from the sink to pace Ed wanted to yell but kept his voice low "Well something sure as hell happened."

Rounding the island and grabbing Connor's shoulder, pivoting him to face him Ed said with barely contained fury "Connor we need to view the tape. You have been stalling and I don't know why. But we know Sam better than your damned analysts; maybe we can pick up something your analysts can't. We need to watch the video."

Connor pulled away from him and met his harsh gaze directly. He was not angry at Ed because he could see the actions for what they really were, a deeply concerned friend. And yeah Connor knew he had been stalling for two good reasons.

First, he needed time to prepare. He had to work out a solution that was feasible and untraceable. Sam had been adamant that the video not be destroyed. It had been the only time Sam had showed any emotion when he interviewed him. But Connor did not have the heart to allow the video to further damage Sam and to hurt Jules too. Once he determined the solution he needed the time for it to be implemented. Pat squared had been useful in helping him there.

Secondly and almost as important, once seen it could not be unseen. The images would be lodged in their heads forever. It was one thing to know a teammate had been tortured but quite another to watch it happen and not be able to do a damned thing about it. The emotional trauma of that could be difficult for them to deal with and they already had enough to deal with.

He had hoped if he stalled long enough Ed would drop it. But sadly the longer Sam went on in his condition the more insistent Ed had become. Ed would be a good person to have in your corner even though he was overbearing at times. Greg had asked a few times too but he was much softer and he could tell part of him did not want to view it.

Connor lifted his tea and took a slow drink wishing it was spiked with some nice Bailey's Irish Cream. This whole situation was bloody horrific. He took a moment to look at each of them seeing the stress etched into their faces.

Letting out a deep sigh he said "I brought it with me tonight. I really don't think you want to view it; you can never unsee something. I sincerely doubt it will help but if you still insist I will allow it. You are right, you know Sam. I bloody well hope the good outweighs the bad after you have watched it. I hope you find something to help that young man."

Jules said softly "Spike you don't have to watch." She wasn't sure he should watch it again. The first time had affected him badly. He had become distraught and depressed. He tried to cover it up with excessive talking but Spike's emotions were always easy to read.

Watching it again could send him back into the downward spiral again that she had worked hard over the past five days to pull him from. It would be difficult for him to relive all that pain again and dredge up all the self-recrimination that he would not let go of. Spike was trying really hard to act normal but Jules could see that Sam's condition ate away at Spike more and more each day solidifying the blame he felt.

She wished Spike would just accept that Sam needed time and space to process it. They had only arrived home today. Sam did not do well in hospitals, she knew when she got him home he would start to heal and eventually open up. Sam just needed time. She knew Spike knew this but Spike was not thinking clearly right now so she tried to be gentle with him.

Spike was pale and drawn when he said "I know. But I was there I will be able to give commentary as to what was going on since there is no audio. It might help Sam." Spike wished that Sam had agreed to destroy the video but he had not. Connor had come up with a next best solution, destroy the audio portion only.

He would watch this time to see if there was anything that could explain Sam's fear. He had talked to Greg and he had smelled the cologne and confirmed there was nothing that smelled like that in the fishery, on the boat, in boathouse, in the van or in the basement. He could not account for Sam's ongoing fear. But he was bound and determined to do all he could to help even if it meant watching this damned video again.

Pulling out the laptop, Connor set it on the counter and brought up the video. Before pressing play he said "I'm sorry but my forensic computer analyst Shawn Emerson was unable to retrieve the audio. It was completely corrupted."

Connor pressed play and Team One started to watch. Spike's voice cracked as he gave general details of what was happening. He would avoid any mention of Vlad asking Sam repeatedly if he had a girlfriend. He, Jules and Connor had thought long and hard to come up with a question that would rate Vlad putting the gun to Spike's head.

In the end Spike suggested to say Vlad asked repeatedly 'would you betray a friend to save your own life' and the one where the gun is at Spike's head would be 'would you betray a friend to save your partners life'? Because that was not far from the truth.

Wordy had to look away. He knew could not watch the beatings. Listening to Spike's commentary was bad enough. He felt both intense despair and rage that Spike and Sam had to go through that. At the point of seeing Sam staggering to the chair and being bound he had to leave the room.

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Family Room**_

Wordy did not agree with Ed. He could not stomach the thought of watching the video of Spike and Sam being tortured. He had to leave. Wandering into Jules's family room and to the window he stopped and stared into her backyard.

Luckily the music Jules had turned on covered Spike's soft spoken words. What those two went through was difficult and he sided with Jules that both Sam and Spike just needed time. He figured they would eventually talk about it. If Sam needed time before talking they all should just back off. God he wished Dawn was not laid up. She would be on Jules side too.

Unfortunately Ed was an action guy and believed they had to take action now to fix it. He was acting like a bulldog who had sunk his teeth into a steak and now held on with determination. Ed meant well but he could not see that taking action would only push Sam further away and deeper into the frightful hole he seemed to be stuck in.

It was time to forcefully back Jules. He was sure he could convince Greg. Greg was more sensitive. Although his first inclination was to talk he could see that backing off was necessary too. It wouldn't take too much convincing to get Greg in his and Jules corner.

Wordy knew that Spike could be swayed pretty easily even though his unwarranted guilt was a driving force for him to want to take action. Spike needed time and space too. He wondered what effect it would have on him to view the video.

Would it help or would it hurt him? Spike had swung from being totally silent to over talkative. He tried everything to get a response out of Sam and nothing seemed to work. He could see Spike was having a hard time dealing with all of this and Spike needed looking after as much as Sam did.

Connor seemed like a nice guy. He had wondered why Connor had not allowed them to view the video before. But his comment about not being able to unsee something struck a chord with him tonight. They all knew he had watched it, maybe he knew how bad it really was and was trying in his way to protect them. If that was the case he should have just destroyed the damned video.

Part of Wordy wondered how much Sam's current state had to do with being held and beaten and how much was due to that reaction to the odor when he woke up. They told Ed about it but he was not there to see that haunted fearful look in Sam's eye. Then there was the second time with Jules. He could see that shook Jules deeply.

There hadn't been a major repeat episode thank goodness. But as the had all discussed over the past four days there were repeated occasions where Sam seemed to pull back and try to hid in his bed. His heart rate would become erratic and his breathing was rapid on those occasions. It was random and they could not discern a reason.

The worst part is that Sam wore a constant guarded fearful look. He was not sleeping more than ten to thirty minutes at a time and he always woke with a start and his eyes would rapidly survey the room as if expecting danger. He mostly refused to eat but Jules was able to coax him to drink the broth a few times.

Wordy walked to the couch and sat down exhausted just thinking how exhausted Sam must be by now. He wished he had a magic cure for whatever was haunting Sam. Leaning his head back he thought of that long ago day when Sam had called out to him to help him. He wished Sam would call out to him again and that he would be able to help.

His mind started thinking about the hours Sam spent pouring out his childhood and asking why. All the pain and misconceptions his child's mind had created. Sam's confusion over things he had transferred versus what really occurred was the most difficult part for Sam as he tried to reconcile his past that day.

A flicker of a notion entered his head and started to grow in strength. Could the odor have been a reaction to something in his past? Something long dormant. Might it be totally unrelated to the abduction and what they endured there?

Wordy knew full well that sights, smells and sounds could elicit reactions years after a traumatic event. Shel still occasionally experienced flashbacks of sorts related to her abusive first husband. He was thankful it was an extremely rare occasion but it did happen. Could this be the case with Sam?

The possibility of it bore some serious consideration and discussion with the others. As Wordy started to rise wanting to talk to them now his hand slipped between the cushions of the couch. His hand felt a book. He pulled it out. It was well worn and dog eared like it had been read often and kept in dirty conditions. He looked at the title 'Охота за Красным октябрем'.

It wasn't English. He flipped through the pages. He wasn't exactly sure but it looked like it was in Russian. Why would Jules have a book written in Russian? As far as he knew she did not speak or read Russian. He opened the front cover and saw small neat writing.

 _Happy 23rd Birthday Blondie,_

 _Blew me away on movie night when you started translating the Russian dialog while we all watched 'The Hunt for Red October'. Thought your birthday was the last secret you were holding out on me but apparently you still have some and plan on surprising me every now and then (that's okay, I like surprises)._

 _Thanks to you almost getting blown up and the unit hacking into your file in order to fill out your paperwork, I now know your birth date. I know you don't like to celebrate it but that's just too damned bad because I do. So I just had to get you a present._

 _I know how much you like to read and its slim pickings out here. But I found this in one of the markets and thought you might like to read this Russian translation of the story. Maybe brush up on it since you said it was a long time since you spoke or read it. Maybe you could teach me a bit too; the unit is outpacing me on languages (I'm feeling like the slacker of the group with only three languages). Anyways, Happy Birthday._

 _Your_ _Favorite_ _Brother, Matt_

 _PS: Okay all the guys are hording in on this present. Blaze, Winds, Patch, Mason and Ripsaw all say Happy Birthday too. I'm gonna make those cheap bastards buy you a beer next time we get a chance though._

 _PSS: Shit not again Blondie, this just isn't fair what's happening to you. You deserve down time not being shipped out with another damned unit. Blaze says not to do any crazy shit when we are not there to watch your back. Mason says no running into rigged building no matter what. Patch says you better not come back needing medical care or he'll kick your ass. Winds says don't forget to drink – water that is. Ripsaw says to remember what he taught you and stay safe. I second all of that and add stay alive Blondie I need you._

Reading the message made Wordy smile. Sam was so close with that group. They had his back for six very long years. They pulled him through some tough times. And Patch, Jim that is, came through for him this time too. What a freak coincidence that Zhang would try to get the supplies from Sam's old JTF2 buddy.

It was Team One's responsibility to have his back now. He didn't know exactly how or what to do but he would not give up. They would find a way to help Sam through this.

He flipped the book in his hand and began to wonder how one of Sam's books, a cherished one most likely since it was a gift from Matt, was in Jules couch cushions. A small thought slipped into his mind and he smiled. He could only hope. They were perfect for one another; he had thought so for a very long time.

If they had rekindled their relationship he would not say a damned word about it. If they had gotten back together he wondered how long ago. He thought back over the past few months and couldn't see a change in their work habits. If they were in a relationship they hid it damn well at work and when the team socialized.

Wordy went to Jules book case and tucked the book in the back. It wouldn't do for Ed, Greg or Spike to find this here; it might prompt questions neither Jules nor Sam would want. They had enough to deal with right now anyways.

He loved and cared very much for them both. Wordy sent up a silent prayer that they had found each other again and it would work out for them. If the situation ever presented itself in the future he would go to bat for them one hundred percent for them to remain on the same team. Because they were more than just friends, they were family and family took care of its own.

On his way back to the kitchen he decided to take a peek into Sam's room to check on him.

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Sam's Room**_

Wordy opened the door and quietly slipped in closing the door behind him. He took a seat in the chair Jules had brought in. There was one soft low lamp turned on in the room in a far corner. The light it cast on Sam was so low the bruising was not quite visible.

Sam looked almost peaceful right now. In sleep the pain lines were smoothed and the fear was less evident. Ah Sam, Wordy thought, what the hell is going on in your mind buddy? I wish you could talk to us and let us help you.

Wordy decided his discussion with the others could wait a bit. They would want to finish the video anyhow. Wordy chose to just sit a while offering only the comfort of his presence so Sam would not be alone. Not wanting to disturb what appeared to be the first sleep Sam had gotten in days he silently mouthed the words 'when you're ready I'll be here if you need me'.

Sam woke hearing breathing. It took him a moment to realize where he was. It took everything he had not jump out of the bed and head for the corner. Concentrating on slowing his heart rate and maintaining even breaths Sam opened his eyes just enough to recognize it was Wordy. The dim lighting allowed him to maintain the illusion of sleep as the adrenaline rush gradually ebbed away.

He was tired of being so frightened. He could not sleep. Every time he started to dream disjointed bursts assailed him causing him to jolt awake sweating as his stomach to clench tightly threatening to retch. These dreams were nothing like his nightmares from his JTF2 missions. In those he saw faces, places and scenes unfold and replay in strikingly horrific detail; they were so crystal clear.

However these dreams were so different. They felt real but unreal at the same time. There were no solid images only a huge shadow that loomed over him. The shadow inflicted pain, incited fear and made him feel weak and worthless. He was powerless against the mighty force and although he wanted to run he could only cower and pray the pain would stop.

When he was awake the fear remained and he felt unable to voice it to anyone. They would see him as weak and worthless. He knew it was completely and utterly irrational to him but that didn't help him fight it. It didn't stop the physical effects of his fear. It was so encompassing that he couldn't even eat. He tried to eat for Jules a few times but each time he felt like throwing up afterwards.

All the while he was in the hospital the odor would appear ever so slightly randomly. Even the slight whiff of it sent him spiraling. He wanted to just give in and run far away. But his damned leg prevented that actuality. He could not even bear his own weight yet and he was still too proud to try and crawl away on his knees. Besides he had no clue where he would run to. Nowhere felt safe. He had no sanctuary from this ever present fear.

He had overheard the doctor telling the team that he wanted to move him to the psych ward because he refused to talk and was clearly experiencing emotional issues. A small part of him cheered as Jules and Ed had both flown into a rage and told the doctor they would never allow that to happen. But a larger part wondered if that was where he should be. This nebulous fear was slowly driving him crazy.

Just what the hell was wrong with him? All of them, including himself though he did not voice it out loud, hoped taking him out of the hospital would help. He had been in Jules home for several hours now. He felt a small relief that he had not smelled the odor since he had been here. Maybe he was not imagining it like he began to think in the hospital.

He desperately wanted to get a grip. He wanted to quit feeling afraid. His family had tried to help. Each of them sat for hours alternating between silence and urging him to talk to them. For the past few days Spike had talked to him nearly non-stop but mostly it was a buzzing sound and the content did not break through his fear.

Greg brought in beauty. He allowed Jules to put the ear buds in and he tried to listen and let it ease his panic. But it had no effect so he had ripped out the ear buds. He tried to throw beauty across the room but his strength was depleted and only managed to throw it off the bed.

How pathetic he was becoming. The panic and fear was getting worse not better. Luckily he was still somewhat in control when the Interpol Detective came to take his statement. But since then he had been falling down deep and deeper into an abyss of fear.

When the Interpol detective took his statement he had held his stoic mask on so very tightly. He was surprised that he was able to get through it without cracking. It was hard telling a complete stranger that you betrayed the trust of all your friends and teammates.

After he was done with his statement the detective asked him if he wanted to view the video and he could not bring himself to watch it. He did not want to see how pathetic he looked when Spike rejected him. The detective gave him a pitying look. God he hated being pitied, it dredged up memories of another far worse torture he had endured.

Detective McGillie then gave him a synopsis of what occurred from the time they entered the fishery until the team found them in the basement. He did not ask for nor was he told of the rescue details. He wanted to know about Jules's neck but then again he did not want to. So he did not ask. It was already too much to take in.

As the detective related what occurred on the video tape he realized he only remembered bits and pieces after Vlad held the gun to Spike's head and he revealed Jules was his girlfriend. He had an elusive memory of feeling hot and cold and maybe being water boarded but the full memory was clouded and just out of his reach.

He also had a flash of Spike going into the vat and the sound of water gushing. He had a vague recollection of his arms being around someone's neck and squeezing with all his might. He wondered if he killed Vlad, but again he did not ask. He really wanted to kill him that he knew for a fact. But it was all too foggy and the ever present fear was messing with his head.

The detective asked him if he wanted the video destroyed. That surprised and confused him. Why would an officer ask if he wanted evidence destroyed? When he explained why and the wishes of Spike and Jules he disagreed.

Even though it condemned him as a liar and betrayer it was wrong. It was evidence, however useless it was now it was still evidence. How far could he allow himself to slip before his life was completely dishonorable? He knew he couldn't allow it to be destroyed because he still had a little honor left.

Sam almost laughed at that thought. What good would honor do him if he lost his fucking mind? And there was no doubt; this constant fear was driving him rapidly in that direction.

He clung tightly to the small hope that little Sara Clarry was right and that he would find a way to fight something that had no discernible substance, something that was only wisps of vapor in the air.

Sam drifted into an uneasy and troubled sleep.

Wordy could hear Ed starting to rage his voice carrying over the music and through the closed door. He had to go quiet him down before he woke Sam. He could hear something about Vlad would be dead now if he wasn't already. Wordy quickly headed back into the kitchen to support Jules in her stance to just give Sam time.

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Kitchen**_

"... sick bastard. Glad that son of a bitch is dead" Ed was saying loudly barely able to keep his anger in check.

Wordy entered and hissed "Quiet Ed. I could hear you in Sam's room."

The utter outrage and throbbing pulse on Ed's neck, the devastated look on Greg's face, the pale but green around the gills look on Spike's face and the tears rolling down Jules's face told Wordy he was glad he had not watched. He did not need those images, the aftermath was bad enough.

Ed did not listen to Wordy and continued to rage calling Vlad every despicable name he could think of interspersed with threats to dig him up and kill him again. Then he switched his anger to Zhang since he was still living and was the one inflicting most of the pain.

Greg moved and cornered Ed near the sink and demanded "Ed. Calm. Down. Now."

"But you saw what that SOB did" Ed said through clenched teeth.

Not giving ground Greg replied "I did, though now I wish I hadn't. But your goal in watching the video was to find something to help Sam. Did you find anything?" Greg needed to get Ed to focus before he blew a gasket. He gave a side glance to Spike.

Greg lowered his voice significantly but it was a full command tone "Ed cool it now. Spike."

Ed looked at Spike. He was pale and his eyes were glassed over. Dammit. He dropped the edge from his voice and allowed the concern he truly felt to come through "Spike, you okay buddy?"

Spike slowly nodded yes but he wanted to puke. He had held his composure during the video trying to see something that would help Sam; something that would explain his never-ending fear. But now that it was over he just wanted to puke. His stomach rolled.

He turned heel and raced out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Guest Bathroom**_

Spike made it to the guest bathroom then closed and locked the door. Barely making it to the toilet, he lost the contents of his stomach as he talked on the porcelain phone. He continued to heave long after nothing was left in his stomach.

Weakly he collapsed on the cold tile floor and leaned on the tub. With a shaky hand he wiped across his mouth. It was too much. He tried to hold it together but god dammit it was too much.

His dreams were inundated with sound and heat of explosions, Sam's screams, rivers of rushing water, the feeling of being trapped underwater and watching Sam die over and over. Sometimes Sam died as a two by four slammed into his head. Sometimes his body was littered with burning shrapnel from the fishery. Sometimes Vlad blew his brains out. Sometimes he was shocked over and over until his heart gave out. The worst was when Sam slowly bled to death and he was unable to staunch the flow of his life's blood. Every single time he was trapped, bound or cuffed and could not save him. He could do nothing to help save his brother.

Hearing a soft knock on the door Spike ground out "Go away." He couldn't face the team now. His failure to protect Sam was so clear in bright technicolor for all to see. They saw as he just sat mutely as Sam was beaten. They saw that his failure to move quickly enough resulted in Sam being shot again. They saw. They saw as he failed Sam over and over; just like he had failed Lou.

Ed raging that he would kill Vlad and Zhang. He was there and he couldn't do that. He wanted too but he couldn't. If Ed was with Sam, Sam would not have been hurt so bad. Ed would have done something other than just sit there. But he sat there; he just sat and watched as they tortured Sam.

And now Sam was trapped in some other hell. One without bars, locks or bindings but one he could not escape. And it was his fault. He did not know how to help him. He saw nothing in the video that would help him.

Spike curled up on the floor as emotions overwhelmed him again. He no longer held back the tears and sobs as they racked his body.

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Outside Guest Bathroom**_

Greg, Ed, Wordy and Jules had quickly followed Spike upstairs. They stood outside the bathroom and heard as he threw up. All waited a moment to see if he would be okay before barging in on him. Trying to give him a little space but too worried to leave.

It was quiet for some minutes after he finished retching. They expected to hear him get up and come to the door. But then they all heard the heart-wrenching sobs.

Greg looked to Wordy agitation coming off him waves "Pick it, Spike shouldn't be alone. I'm going in."

Wordy looked to Jules "Key?"

Jules blinked at Wordy's question then realized this was her house, yes she had a key. She ran to get it and was back in a flash. She unlocked the door and Greg slipped inside and shut the door behind him.

Wordy looked at Ed who was stricken silent. He placed a hand on Ed's arm and led him back down stairs as he said "Greg will take care of Spike right now Ed."

Jules listened at the door a moment then slowly followed Ed and Wordy down to the kitchen.

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Guest Bathroom**_

Greg moved slowly to Spike. He crouched down and touched his shoulder. Spike did not acknowledge him. Greg slid back against the wall and sat down next to him.

Spike did not resist as Greg pulled him close. As Spike cried Greg held him and whispered repeatedly "Sarà a posto il mio ragazzo. Sfogati. Lascia tutto fuori." (It will be okay my boy. Let it out. Let it all out.)

Greg was unsure how long they sat together on the floor of Jules guest bathroom. When Spike made no move to get up once his tears were spent Greg knew he must be exhausted. So much of the focus had been on Sam the past days that they failed to keep close enough watch on Spike.

Spike was hurting. They should never have insisted on watching that video. Connor was right. As he held Spike and gently rubbed his back he thought how difficult that must have been for Spike to watch. His silent musing was interrupted when Spike spoke.

Rough and raspy Spike said "He keeps dying and I can't save him."

Greg was confused by his words "What do you mean? Who is dying?"

His head still buried in Greg's chest Spike answered "Sam."

Dawning hit Greg. Spike was having nightmares. He was racking his brain to figure out what best to say and could only come up with "Nightmares?"

Spike nodded yes. Greg asked "How often?"

Just above a whisper Spike replied "Every night for the past three nights. I can't stop them. I can't save him. I do nothing to save him."

Greg thought a moment then said "Do you know how we found you and Sam?"

He shook his head no. They had never had a full debriefing. He had seen the video and given his statement to Connor. His conversation with Jules that day about the video didn't cover their rescue. No one had talked about it in the hospital either just trying to keep conversations light and normal.

"You saved him and yourself" Greg stated.

Spike pulled away and looked at Greg "How? What did I do? I just sat there while they beat the crap out of Sam, shocked him repeatedly and shot him twice."

Greg shifted so Spike could sit up then said "Did you do your best to prevent more head trauma for Sam while in the boat, at the boathouse and in the van?"

Spike nodded "I did but that is not saving him."

"Did you make sure Sam got safely into the van, out of the van, into the house, down the stairs and on the mat?" Greg questioned.

"Yes but …" Spike started but Greg raised a hand stopping him.

"Did you not offer to take the consequences regardless of the sick twist Vlad made?" Greg enquired.

"Yes but …" Spike answered but was cut off by Greg's raised hand.

"Did you not fight to remain silent so Vlad would not shoot Sam again?" Greg queried.

"Yes but …" Spike said and was stopped again.

"Did you clean and dress Sam's wounds and stop the bleeding?" Greg asked.

"Yes but …" again Spike was stalled.

"Did you bathe him with a cool rag for hours to try and bring down his fever and make sure he drank water?" Greg inquired next.

"Yes but …" Spike said and stopped knowing Greg would stop him anyways.

"Did you demand medicine necessary to save Sam's life?" Greg asked.

"Yes but that only made Vlad angry and he …" Spike clamored out quickly but was still stopped by Greg.

"Did you know that Zhang was sent to get the medicine you demanded?"

"Yes but …" Wait. Spike looked at Greg his eyes wide "No. No I didn't know that?"

Greg smiled "Do you know who Zhang tried to get the medicine from?"

Spike cringed worrying that some innocent person got hurt because of his demand. He just shook his head no not trusting his voice.

With a hint of disbelief that he still felt over the coincidence Greg explained "Well Zhang had the misfortune to try and get them from an ex-JTF2 paramedic we all know and who sees Sam as a little brother. As soon as Jim took him down Zhang let Sam's name slip. Jim quickly deduced who it was and got us the information we needed to rescue you both. If you had not demanded medicine for Sam we may have never found you. We had no leads."

Cupping the side of Spike's face, Greg held it firm but gentle as he made direct eye contact "So your actions, all of them, all along were necessary to save Sam. Spike you did good. You did very good. I am very proud of you."

Spike held his boss's eyes looking for what he needed. Permission not to second guess himself. Recognition that he did all that he could. Acceptance that he was not expected to do more. Trust that he did right. He saw what he needed in Greg's eyes and released long sigh.

With despair and bone deep weariness Spike said "But now, what do we do now? I didn't see anything in the video to account for now."

Greg stood up "Let's get you tucked into bed. You are exhausted and need sleep. Don't think you want to spend the night on the bathroom floor. We will talk more tomorrow if you want. I know you are worried about Sam. We all are. We will find a way to help him together. We've found a way before, we will again. He is family nothing has changed. Do you trust me?"

Spike only nodded. He was so worn out he wondered if he couldn't just sleep on the floor. It a little hard and cold but it was such a pretty tile he thought as he looked at it his head too heavy to lift up to look.

"Good, then if you trust me I say it is time for you to go to bed." Greg helped Spike up and supported most his weight as they made their way to Spike's designated room. Greg pulled back the covers and Spike kicked off his shoes. Going to the small dresser Greg opened it and got Spike's sweat pants and a t-shirt.

"Need any help with those?" Greg asked.

"Nah, I think I can manage by myself" Spike replied sleepily.

At the door Greg said "I'll be right back. Just going to get your pain meds. You want a little snack to take with them?"

Spike nodded yes and Greg headed out to get the pain killers and a snack.

He was back in less than five minutes. He saw Spike lying sideways across the bed. Spike had managed to change from his jeans to his sweat pants but he had not managed to get his shirt off. Greg set down the water, meds and snack on the nightstand.

Greg gently shook Spike awake, helped him change into the t-shirt, got him to take his meds and take one bite of the snack. He tucked Spike into bed under the covers and left the snack and half glass of water on the nightstand. Greg stopped at the door and watched a moment. He softly said "Dormire bene mio figlio" (Sleep well my son).

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Kitchen**_

Greg entered a somber kitchen. Ed looked up at him "How is Spike?"

Rubbing his face briskly Greg answered "Shaken. He's been having nightmares."

Jules put her hand on Greg's arm "Did he give you any specifics what they are about?"

Nodding and pursing his lips tightly together Greg turned away to compose himself. It would not do any good to lose it now. Later at home in the privacy of his room would be time. But for now he had two of his family to focus on.

Looking at Ed, he thought maybe he would make that three. Ed did not look so good right now. Probably beating himself up over his insistence they watch the video and his reaction afterwards thinking it hurt Spike more. Maybe he could set that one to rights.

"He keeps seeing Sam die and he is unable to save him. He was feeling like he just sat and watched and did nothing to help. So I took him through everything he did to help Sam. He didn't know that his demand for medication for Sam lead to us finding them. He does now."

Wordy pinched the bridge of his nose "I'll stay tonight with Jules to help out. That way you can get some sleep Greg. I think Spike will need to talk more with you tomorrow. You will need to have some sleep to be at your best."

Greg noticed Connor was not there and asked "Where's Connor?"

Ed responded "He left while you were with Spike. He said he would be in touch soon with the final report. Also said if we need anything, have any questions or need any details from the case to help Sam and Spike to just call him."

Blowing out a breath feeling fully depleted after his anger flooded away with his earlier outburst Ed said "I didn't see anything in the video that would account for Sam's fears. We all know he has been beaten, shocked and shot before. It was a sick and twisted game Vlad played with them but again that shouldn't have the effect we are seeing."

Jules stated her position again "Sam just needs space and time. We need to stop pushing him. It will have the opposite effect."

Ed started to say something and Wordy cut him off "I agree with Jules. Both Spike and Sam need time to process what happened to them. This is real life, not some one hour crime show where everyone's problems are solved and everything is honky dory by the end of the show. Ed they need time and to know we won't pressure them but are here when they are ready."

Ed started to speak again only to be cut off by Jules. Her feet were wide and hands on hips as she forcefully said "Ed if you cannot give them space I'm gonna have to ban you from my house."

Ed looked to Greg and raised an eyebrow. Greg grinned "Got something to say Eddie?"

"Yeah. I was going to agree with you Jules. I'm sorry I pushed. I just can't stand what's happening to them. Especially Sam. This is so out of character for him. When have we ever seen him even remotely like this? Not even when he lost his memory and sight did he exhibit fear like this. Hell not even when he was afraid of water. He met that fear head on. He didn't cower and try to hide. This is something else. I have a gut feeling this is not related to the abduction" Ed declared.

Jules sighed, finally they agreed. She cocked her head to the side and gave Ed a small grin and said "Sorry, but you can be so pigheaded at times. You remind me of Brayden sometimes."

As soon as it was out of her mouth Jules wondered where the comparison to her eldest brother had come from. She had put out of her mind Aidan's visit. They couldn't just waltz back in and think everything would be fine after so many years. She pushed it down again and focused on the current discussion.

Ed watched the play of emotions on Jules face after she compared him to her brother. He didn't really know anything about them other than they had disowned her and left her all alone. To him that was inexcusable. He let his thoughts drop as he saw her face clear.

Then he grinned back at her "Just part of my charm."

Jules punched him lightly in the arm then said "About your gut feeling. Care to expand?"

Ed started "It just that his fear started in the hospital after he smelled an odor. Both Dr. Dayton and Mr. Dupont wore the cologne. What was it called?"

"Dominion" Greg supplied.

Continuing Ed said "The first time Dr. Dayton was there. The second time Jules had the scent on her wrist from Dupont. There were many times when Sam reacted much the same way but not as dramatic over the course of the four days he was in the room with Spike. None of us smelled the odor again. But what if Sam's sniffer is as acute as his hearing?"

Wordy interjected "I see where you are going with this. What if someone was in the hallway wearing the cologne and Sam could smell it. It would probably be pretty faint. But it might account for his continued fear."

Jules added "The scent on me was very faint. I mean I had to have it close to my nose to smell it. I couldn't smell anything when my hands were at my sides. But Sam reacted when I was across the room and as I got closer he became more fearful."

Greg was nodding "So if it is this odor it has to be triggering some memory. Probably something long buried since we have never seen him react like this before."

Jules suggested "Perhaps we should ask the General. Maybe it is related to something that happened to Sam when he was a kid. Possibly an odor he associates with childhood nightmares or something related to Sara?"

Ed just could not shake a thought as he said "Possibly Jules. I think you might be on to something there. But I can't get something out of my head. It is bugging me and I'm not sure why. It is way off in the left field though."

Wordy liked the current thread of thinking. It was much like what he was thinking earlier tonight. He asked Ed "What is bugging you? Your gut feelings are usually pretty good and at this point we should leave no thoughts unsaid as we try to figure this out."

"Like I said it is way out there but three of us had strong negative reactions to Mr. Dupont. I got the vibe he was military at one time. I saw him doing rounds on the tenth floor multiple times. I have no idea if they correlate with when Sam was agitated but he does wear that cologne."

Jules interjected "A lot of it. I think he bathes in it."

Ed laughed "Got that impression in his office too. Anyways, Sam still has potential enemies from the fallout of the investigation into his service. What if there is some connection to Mr. Gaston Dupont?"

Pulling a notebook off the far counter Jules opened it up and shared. "I started recording times when Sam became more fearful. I asked Spike to jot down times he saw when I wasn't there. If we could get security tapes of the tenth floor maybe we could correlate times and see if Mr. Dupont was near the room when Sam reacted."

Greg reached out and put his arm around Jules pulling her close for a hug "Jules you continue to amaze me. I'll put in a call to the General tomorrow. It's the wee hours of the morning in London right now. I'll ask about Dupont too."

Looking at the clock Wordy said "Maybe tomorrow we can enlist Spike in reviewing the security tapes. It might help him feel better doing something to help Sam. But for now it's getting pretty late. I've got things covered here tonight. Ed, Greg it's time you go home and get some sleep. We will see you tomorrow around lunch time."

The group broke up and said goodnight as Greg and Ed left. Jules looked to Wordy and asked "Which one do you want to stay with tonight?"

Wordy gave Jules a soft smile and said "I'll take care of Spike. You take care of Sam. He responds best to your care." As Wordy headed up the stairs he hoped a little time alone between those two might do a world of good for Sam.

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Sam's Room**_

Jules entered Sam's room, closed the door and locked it. She called out softly "Sam, are you awake?"

She didn't get a response and slowly moved toward the bed. She saw his eyes half open. Jules kicked off her shoes. She slid onto the bed, under the covers and positioned herself sitting with her back against the padded headboard. Without saying a word Sam shifted and laid his head in her lap.

Her hand gently stroked through his hair. Jules was glad she was able to finally offer him the comfort he needed. After a short while she noticed his even breathing that indicated he was truly sleeping. She whispered "I'm glad you're home. I've missed you. Rest now, everything is going to be okay my love."


	21. Call The General & Morning Mr Blue Eyes

**Call The General & Morning Mr. Blue Eyes**

* * *

 _ **Greg's Home**_

Dean bounded into the kitchen "Hey dad. Smells great. You got in late last night. How are the guys?" Dean grabbed one of the pieces of bacon off the plate and leaned on the counter munching on it as his dad made eggs to go with it.

Greg smiled at the endless energy of youth "They are settled in at Jules. Eggs are almost ready. Why don't you pour us some juice?"

Getting the glasses and pouring the orange juice Dean asked "Can I go over and say hi yet? It's Saturday. Maybe we could all watch a game on TV with them."

"I'm not sure Dean. I'll ask Sam and Spike but I'm not so sure Sam is up for visitors yet. He's pretty tired still" Greg deflected not wanting to tell Dean the full story.

Sitting at the table as his dad put a plate of bacon, eggs and toast at each of their spots Dean frowned. "There is something going on you don't want to tell me about isn't there?"

Greg shook his head. They didn't call Dean the human lie detector for nothing. He took several bites of eggs while he considered how to answer his son. "To be honest they need some time. They went through a lot. Sam is having trouble sleeping so Jules plans on keeping the house quiet, so he is not disturbed when he does nod off. Let's give them a week and maybe next Saturday would be better."

Finishing his breakfast Dean responded "Thanks for not treating me like a child. Just let them know I was thinking about them and hope they are feeling better soon. Can I hang out with Clark at the mall today?

"Suzy and Paula going to be there too?" Greg asked.

Dean smiled "Yeah and Dave, Wayne, Beth and Debbie too. The original plan was to all go to a movie or play laser tag."

"Sure. I can drop you off at the Lane's when I pick of Eddie today" Greg answered.

"Great. When do you want to leave? I'll call Clark and set things up" Dean stated.

Greg finished his bacon and said "About eleven. I have a phone call or two to make and shower before we head out."

Dean grabbed his dad's empty plate "I got the dishes today Dad. You still looked wiped out. Bet you could use more sleep too."

Rising and going to the sink Greg pulled his son into a hug and said "Thanks. If I haven't told you in a while I want you to know you are a great son and I'm very proud of you. I love you Dean."

Dean was a bit stunned but hugged his dad back and said "Love you too Dad."

Greg pulled away and lightly patted Dean's cheek before he headed off to make his phone calls. Dean watched him go wondering just what all happened to Sam and Spike to make his dad extra huggy lately. It must have been pretty bad. But he didn't mind the extra attention. He had a lot of missed years to fill with his dad.

He turned back to the sink and quickly cleaned up the breakfast dishes. As he was drying a glass it slipped from his hand and shattered on the floor. He called out "Sorry dad, it slipped I'll clean it up."

Sitting in his favorite recliner Greg had pulled out his phone and located the General's personal cell number. As his finger hovered over the call button he heard the glass shatter and Dean call out. He returned "You okay?"

Dean replied "Yeah, missed me. Sorry bout the glass."

Greg responded "Just glad you're okay."

As he heard Dean sweeping up the fragments of glass Greg recalled another shattered glass several years ago. One afternoon he ate lunch alone here and was lost in the feeling that his home was cold and empty as a glass slipped from his hand and shattered on the kitchen floor. It was an afternoon after Sam was shot in the chest. He remembered being inspired by the hope that the General had held onto for so many years to reconnect with Sam.

That led him to realize that his relationship with Dean might only be cracked not completely shattered. It gave him hope that he might reconnect with his son someday. That hope had become a reality and now he didn't take a single day for granted with his son because in his line of work he knew how easily it could all be taken away.

No matter how old his son would get he would always ensure he knew how much he was loved and how proud he was of him. He would always worry about him too.

Greg took a deep breath then pressed call. He was dreading making this call. He did not want to possibly dredge up unpleasant memories for another father. The General and Sam had both been through so much pain already. His call was answered on the second ring.

 _["Braddock" the General answered.]_

"Hello Sir, this is Greg Parker."

 _["How's my boy doing? Has he run the nurses ragged trying to sneak out of the hospital yet?" General Braddock said lightly. He had been apprised that the wounds Samuel sustained were not life threatening. Terrible and painful and would require some rehab but his son could handle that, he always did. He was extremely proud of Samuel and always amazed at how hard he worked to recover from injuries.]_

"His physical wounds are healing just fine. He is now at Jules home with Spike recuperating" Greg informed him.

 _[General Braddock heard the good words but it didn't quite match the wary tone "Parker you said physical wounds. What's wrong?"]_

Damn the General could read him like an open book "Sam is not doing so well." Greg went on to give him a full status then he said "We cannot see how Sam would react in this manner to the abduction. We even watched the video and did not see anything that would account for it. However, we do have a theory and a few questions for you that might help us figure out what is going on. If we can figure out what is triggering his fear then we might be able to help him."

 _[He did not react to the mention of the video. He had already blown a gasket over that when Ryan called and informed him of its existence when he gave him_ _Samuel_ _'s status the day he was rescued. He was glad he had already known because it allowed him to remain relatively calm._

 _But God dammit he was always so fucking far away when Samuel needed him. It was upsetting that Dr. Tansy was sidelined given what Parker was telling him. The General asked in an even tone that belied how he really felt "What is your theory and how can I help?"]_

"We think this fear might stem from a childhood trauma. Can you think of anything that might have happened to him that caused a great deal of fear and might have a scent associated with it?" Greg asked trying to leave the question wide open and not leading the General in any particular direction. He wanted to see what the General recalled before getting more detailed.

 _[The General thought back on Samuel's childhood. It was not a happy one. It was mostly his fault. He tried but he screwed up over and over. Sara's death was a big factor that set them all on a path of sorrow. But fear? What had caused fear for Samuel as a child? He racked his brain. Samuel did not show fear. As a child he had been sullen, quiet, dutiful but mostly sad._

" _I'm thinking. Beyond Sara's death I'm having a hard time recalling anything that caused him excessive fear. He has fear of hospitals stemming from that. Hospitals have a distinct odor. But he has been in so many since then and never had this type of reaction. Fear is not an emotion Samuel typically shows outwardly. You say this fear is debilitating and causing him to back away from everyone?" Braddock stated.]_

"Yes Sir. It is not like him" Greg responded.

 _["No it is not like him at all. He meets things he fears head on. It is not like him to pull away. I'm coming up blank. Is there anything more you can give me to go on?" his mind still thinking back trying to recall anything that_ _Samuel_ _showed excessive fear to.]_

Greg shared "We believe the odor that is triggering his fear is cologne called Dominion. It was very popular about thirty years ago. It has a strong lime, musk and cedar scent."

 _[The General paced in his hotel room. He could not recall having ever heard of cologne of that name. Most men in his command smelled of sweat and dirt most the time. "I cannot recall anything based on a name. I'll have one of my staff locate some so I can smell it and see if it prompts any memories that might account for this."]_

He knew it was a long shot that the name would evoke memories. Greg was glad the General was willing to go the extra step to procure some and see if it jogged his memory but he could help here. Greg offered "We have a bottle of it obtained from Dr. Dayton. I could have it shipped overnight to you."

 _[The General smiled, Samuel's team was always on top of things "That would be great. Send it to me at the Egerton House Hotel in London. Suite 1256."]_

Greg made note of the name then said "There is something else. We have no idea if it is related in any way; it is one of Ed's gut feelings."

 _["Samuel puts a lot of stock in Ed's gut feelings. What is it?" Braddock asked.]_

Knowing it was another long shot Greg started "This is way out in left field, but the new head of security at hospital. Ed, Jules and I all had a negative reaction upon meeting him. The guard used excessive force and bruised Jules wrist preventing her from entering ICU."

Rubbing his head with one hand he continued "He wore a heavy dose of the cologne. Today we will be reviewing security tapes of the hospital. We want to see if Sam's episodes of heightened fear while in the hospital correlate to when the man was present near Sam's room." He stopped a moment as the image of Sam cowering in the corner of the ICU hit him again.

 _[General Braddock wasn't quite sure he was following how he could help with this so when Greg stopped briefly he asked "Sounds like you have that under control but how can I help?"]_

Pushing the image away Greg said "Ed got a military vibe off of him, high and tight haircut, military slang and bearing. We all know Sam still has enemies in the Army. Perhaps Sam may have had a run in with him at some point. I know we are grasping at straws here but it is all we have so far. We were hoping you either knew the man or could look into him. His name is Gaston Dupont."

 _[Rage exploded upon hearing the name Dupont. Swirling memories and guilt assaulted the General. He felt like he was sucker punched in the stomach. His breaths came in ragged gulps. Pain and the desire to kill coursed through his body. He had failed Samuel so many times but that time was the absolute worst._

 _That time was all on him, it was entirely his fault. He had trusted the bastard. He left Samuel in the care of that son of a bitch for nearly three months. He sank to the floor of his hotel room unable to speak as the memory of it all came flooding back.]_

The extended silence on the phone worried Greg immensely. He waited a minute more before he queried "Sir are you okay?"

 _[Forcing himself to pull it together the General ran a hand across the back of his neck. He took several deep breaths. If Dupont was anywhere near_ _Samuel_ _he would kill the bastard. He wished he had done so back then. Only his brothers had stopped him from committing murder._

 _They had convinced him to court martial the son of a bitch instead of seeking his own vengeance. But then the damned panel of judges came back with the verdict that there was not enough physical evidence to convict the bastard of aggravated assault and send him to Club Ed* for the rest of his sorry life. They only had enough to hand down the punishment of dismissal with disgrace from Her Majesty's service._

 _Some of the rage he was feeling entered his voice as the General said "The name Dupont is familiar. What did you say the first name was again?"]_

Greg could hear the controlled rage and answered "Gaston."

 _[No that wasn't the name. But the memories now unlocked after so many years were running rampant in his mind. He responded "Gaston Dupont is not the Dupont I know. Years ago when Samuel was eleven there was a serious incident involving a Drill Sergeant named Gerard Dupont."]_

Greg wasn't so sure he wanted to know what happened given the reaction of the General but he asked his question anyways "Could the incident be responsible for Sam's fear?"

 _[He thought back to that time and he could not remember Samuel showing fear. He was extremely withdrawn, exceptionally quiet and his eyes were far sadder than usual when he returned from Ottawa. But he had not witnessed excessive fear. But then again by the time he had returned to base_ _Samuel_ _had been out of Dupont's clutches for nearly two weeks and the bastard was in the brig awaiting transfer to Edmonton._

 _Getting up off the floor and slumping into the chair at the desk William Braddock answered "Possibly. Quite possibly."_

 _He then confessed "Although I was not there when it occurred. By the time I got there I saw no fear. But I can assume that at the tender age of eleven Samuel would have been terrified. Especially if it went on for as long as I suspect it did."]_

"I don't want to pry into Sam's past, but is there anything you would be willing to share about the incident that you think might help?" Greg asked hesitantly.

 _[God he felt like a horrible parent, never there when his son needed him. He didn't really want to divulge the details mostly because_ _Samuel_ _probably wouldn't want people to know but it might be important. Part of him felt like he would be taking the wrong step with_ _Samuel_ _again and he wondered how long it would take for them to get back on good terms after he divulged this to his boss._

 _The General took a deep breath then relayed the details. "What I'm about to tell you is deeply personal and I hope that you will use discretion._ _Samuel_ _may not forgive me for divulging but I think it might be important. When_ _Samuel_ _was eleven Yvonne became very ill. She had been ill many times before but this time it persisted for months."_

" _I went back to Ottawa to be with her as the doctors tried to determine what was wrong. Eventually they determined she had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, CFS. Yvonne does not like to let people know she suffers from CFS. It was one of the reasons she could not live full time at the desert base. I wanted her to have the best medical care and she could only get that in Ottawa."_

" _CFS is also the reason she is not with Samuel right now. She has been so fatigued lately she is in no shape to travel alone and I cannot leave at the moment."_

 _There was a knock on his door so the General said "Hold just a minute please I need to see who is at the door." He got up to answer the door.]_

While he was waiting Greg got up and went to the kitchen and poured a glass of water then sat at the kitchen table. The information about Mrs. Braddock explained a lot. He had always wondered why Sam's mother had only visited her son and not lived with them in the desert. It also likely explained why Mrs. Braddock did not stay with Sam when he was in a coma after he had been shot in the chest.

He knew that CFS could be debilitating and difficult to live with. Poor woman he thought, but then he realized that she probably would not like him to pity her and why they kept her diagnosis close. From all his interactions with the Braddock's he could see they were strong and proud and did not like to be seen as weak. As he waited he heard the General tell whoever it was that he needed thirty minutes.

 _[The General stopped at the mini-bar in the room and was tempted to help himself to a scotch but pulled out a soda instead. He took a quick drink then said "Sorry, need to head out in a few minutes so let me give you the short version. Later if you have any questions I can answer them."_

" _So I was in I was in Ottawa for nearly three months as they diagnosed Yvonne and determined appropriate treatment. I left Samuel at the desert base because he did not do well in Ottawa." He did not want to delve into why.]_

Greg heard the hesitation and said "Sam has shared with me why he lived in the desert. I understand."

 _[William was somewhat stunned Samuel had shared that with his boss. He briefly wondered under what circumstance Samuel would share something so personal with his boss. But pushed that away to continue "Okay. Well I left Samuel in the care of Sergeant Gerard Dupont and his tutors Corporal Royce Duffy and Private Theo Brock. I checked in with the Sergeant on a daily basis. All seemed in order until I got a call from Corporal Duffy."_

 _"Duffy_ _was worried because he had not seen Samuel for nearly two weeks. He told me that the last time he saw Samuel he was concerned because he had a black eye and bruising on his forearms. He questioned Samuel about it and he said Samuel told him he fell from the climbing rope. But Duffy was suspicious because he said something did not seem right about it and Samuel's behavior had changed significantly while I was gone."_

 _"According to Duffy Samuel had become increasingly withdrawn and quiet. He would stand or pace instead of sitting down for his lessons. He had asked Samuel several times over the months what was wrong and he said nothing. He thought Samuel was just reacting to me being gone so long and all would be fine when I returned. So he did not call me knowing I was dealing with Yvonne's illness and not wanting to add more stress."_

 _"What changed Duffy's mind was that for the past twelve days when he arrived for tutoring Dupont told him Samuel was busy with a special training project as a surprise for me and to take the day off. He apologized for waiting so long to call me but he trusted Sergeant Dupont because Samuel had been in his care for nearly nine months."_

 _"But when he arrived at the house on the twelfth day he found Dupont kicked back watching TV drinking beer and he became belligerent when Duffy asked about Samuel. Told him the brat was off doing the special project and to just mind his own damned business or he would put him on report."_

 _"So he called me. His call alerted me something was very wrong because in the same period of time I was given daily reports from Dupont that Samuel was doing well in all his studies, which would have meant he was spending time with Duffy who was his academic tutor."_

" _After I got off the phone I contacted Lieutenant Johnson, commander of the base MPs. They went to the house and questioned Dupont. His story changed for a third time and he claimed he had not seen Samuel for twelve days. He told the MPs that he was trying to protect Samuel from my wrath for running away. That he had been searching for him for twelve days."_

" _By the time I got a flight back the MPs had Dupont in the brig. An extensive search had been implemented with all hands on deck. Private Brock who was in charge of Samuel's physical training mapped out a dozen or so routes they took on their daily runs. Brock and Duffy located Samuel about eight miles from base hiding in a burnt out old building. It was a place Brock and Samuel had come across on one of their really long runs."_

 _"I was told that Samuel was extremely dehydrated and appeared to have a badly sprained ankle. He did not resist when Brock picked him up. Duffy knew of Samuel's dislike of the hospital and had the medics take him home and treat him there instead of the hospital. The bruises he had seen were almost gone; just faint shading."_

" _When the medics left, Duffy and Brock stayed with Samuel as Lieutenant Johnson questioned him. At first Samuel said nothing. He refused to answer a single question. He refused to say why he ran away or where he got the supplies he had taken with him. He had taken a knife, sleeping bag, MREs and water. Not nearly enough to last twelve days. The medics estimated he had run out of food four days before and water two days before he was found."_

" _Duffy said that Lieutenant Johnson became annoyed and thought Samuel was just acting out by running away. In his frustration Johnson stood over Samuel and yelled at him calling him a brat and told him he deserved whatever punishment I would dole out to him. Duffy said that's when that Samuel came unglued and scrambled into a corner of the room."_

 _The General's anger was rising and had to take a moment to compose himself. He could not keep the anger from showing in his voice "Samuel started pleading with them not to hurt him anymore that he promised he would do better. He kept saying he was sorry and promised his groupings would be tighter. They said he started crying and promised that if they didn't hit him that he would be faster on the trigger and that he wouldn't miss the target again."_

" _After some coaxing by Duffy and Brock, Samuel told them what happened. Apparently shortly after I left Dupont began assaulting and humiliating Samuel. It started slow with cuffs to the back of his head, whacks with his hand on Samuel's buttocks or being shoved into a wall or down a short flight of stairs."_

 _"Samuel recounted that it mostly happened on the shooting range when they were alone and he did not perform up to Dupont's standards. He said it got worse over time and Dupont would strike him repeatedly and tell him he was a worthless brat if his groupings were not tight enough or he was even slightly off mark on the target Dupont designated."_

" _For months he only hit him in places that were not visible to others. Dupont mostly hit him in the stomach, on the back or whipped his butt and upper thighs with a belt. He would also make Samuel lay motionless with his eye on the scope for hours and would not allow him to use the facilities. If he moved or eventually wet himself Dupont would verbally berate him and strike him. Samuel ran away the day Dupont escalated the abuse and struck him in the face knocking him unconscious."_

 _The General could not and would not share the rest with Greg. Some things were too private. They could never prove it but Duffy and Brock were convinced that Samuel had been sexually assaulted by Dupont the day he was knocked unconscious._

 _It was solely based on things Samuel told Duffy and Brock after Lieutenant Johnson left. Samuel told them he finally tried to stand up to Dupont. When he missed a shot on the range and Dupont kicked him in the stomach he stood up and told Dupont he would tell the General that Dupont was hitting him. Dupont laughed and told him no one would believe him and that he was a worthless brat no one cared about, least of all his father._

 _Then he punched Samuel in the face knocking him unconscious. Samuel reported that when he woke up he was alone in the ammo depot at the range and he was in just his boxers. He dressed and headed home in the dark. He said he felt dizzy, kinda funny and sore in private places and he had to take a shower because there was gross sticky stuff all over his face, stomach and private areas._

 _Unfortunately too much time had passed to do any sort of rape kit to gather evidence and Samuel's clothes he had worn that day had already been washed. He had a specialist come in to talk with Samuel to try and find out what happened but Samuel had clammed up completely by then._

 _He became very withdrawn and refused to talk about any of it. It was almost like he blocked it out. The specialist said that was not uncommon with traumatic events in children and it was better to not push and to allow it to come out when the child was ready to talk. But Samuel never did talk about it even after a year of sessions with the specialist._

 _They decided to keep that part of the abuse out of the official charges because they could not prove it. He had failed to protect Samuel from the abuse but he would not let his son be subjected to further abuse by the questions Dupont's slimy barrister would likely ask if they included those charges._

 _It was bad enough that Dupont's barrister had somehow managed to require Samuel to be in attendance at the court martial to give his testimony. If they were to ask questions about sexual assault that would most likely push his son to shut down completely._

 _Thankfully the presiding judge took Samuel's age into consideration. Instead of having to enter the main courtroom and face Dupont the judge had Samuel come to his chambers. The judge questioned Samuel himself with no barristers allowed to examine him. The rest of the panel and court watched via a live video feed._

 _It was heart breaking to hear his son report what happened to him at the hands of Dupont with no emotion like he was reading a dry technical manual. Sometimes he thought it would have been better if Samuel had cried, they might have believed him. But he knew that Samuel rarely cried in front of others and never cried if he was around. Samuel knew he was watching because the judge told him everyone could see and hear him. So Samuel had closed himself off emotionally._

 _As soon as Samuel was done, he had his brother Erik whisk Samuel back to the hotel so there was no chance of Samuel seeing Dupont. He and his brothers Ryan and Mark had stayed for the full hearing. It was a good thing that Mark and Ryan were with him. If they were not then Dupont would have been dead on the courthouse steps after the verdict was read and he would have been in Club Ed for life for murder.]_

Greg had listened and it distressed him greatly that Sam had been physically and verbally abused by a man who was supposed to be taking care of him. He interjected "Sir, I think it might be related. Maybe the torture he endured along with the odor triggered these memories. When Sam backed into the corner Jules said he was pleading like a little boy saying he was sorry and promising to do better. If I may ask Sir, what happened to Gerard Dupont?"

 _[The General hung his head and pounded on the desk in frustration "The bastard got off. A court martial was held in Edmonton. There was no physical evidence proving Samuel had been repeatedly assaulted by Dupont while I was gone. The panel said it was Samuel's word against Dupont's word."_

 _"Dupont had an exemplary service record. Dupont had some slimy barrister that called into question Samuel's credibility because of what happened to him after Sara died and the fact he was still seeing a therapist. The slime ball made it seem like Samuel was just making the claims to seek attention or to get out of trouble with me for running away. Then he indicated that if Samuel had actually been abused he would have cried when telling of the account to the judge. But Samuel did not shed one single tear because Samuel could never cry in front of me."_

 _Lost in the memory of watching Dupont exit the court house with a damned smirk on his face the fury the General was feeling took over his voice "The only thing that they could prove was that Dupont had lied to a superior officer and failed to report Samuel missing in a timely manner. For that he was given a three month prison sentence and a Bad Conduct Discharge. The prison sentence was reduced to time served while awaiting the court martial. The bastard walked out of court free and clear that day."]_

The fury and exasperation of the General came loud and clear over the phone. Greg could not believe what he was hearing. Sam certainly had a shocking childhood. How in the hell had he managed to survive and become the honorable, decent man he knew and cared about. It spoke again to the seemingly endless resilience Sam had to deal with adversity and still come out on the side of good, somehow better and stronger for it.

Drawing a steadying breath Greg asked "We have nothing to prove one way or another whether this man might be related to Gerard Dupont. Do you know if he had any brothers? Do you think Gerard might have changed his name?"

 _[Fighting to regain his composure William said "I do not recall. I will have my staff pull his service file and check. It's been nearly twenty years and it is likely he has changed. But do you think you could send me a picture of this Gaston Dupont? If it is actually Gerard I do not want him within a mile of Samuel. Hell I don't want him living but short of murder I have no way of making that a reality."_

 _Disgust and guilt edged into Braddock's voice as he related "I trusted that man to care for my son. He was a good drill sergeant with high standards and the men seemed to respect him. In the six months he was with me before I had to go to Ottawa he only showed concern for Samuel. I never saw anything that would lead me to suspect he was capable of what he did to Samuel."_

 _The rage re-infused his words "But I unequivocally believe my son. That man is guilty of a heinous crime inflicted on a defenseless eleven year old boy, my son. Dupont is lucky we have never crossed paths again. I'm not entirely certain I could stop myself from killing the bastard if I ever see him again."]_

Greg fully believed that the General would have stopped himself from committing murder but that he still would have wanted the man dead. Greg thought if he were in the same situation and Dean had been abused he could very likely be driven to murder. But acknowledging that would not help the General deal with his sense of betrayal. He had been betrayed several times by men he trusted. Being in a position of power would make him a target for such.

Sadly the betrayals he was aware of all harmed his son. That would be difficult for the man to bear. He began to see where Sam's resilience and ability to move forward on the moral high ground probably came from.

Greg finally said "Sir, I will send you a photo once Ed obtains the security tapes. I assure you we will take good care of your son. He is safe with us. I will update you later on his condition or you can call Jules at any time. She seems to have a special way with Sam. If anyone can help him I'm sure it will be her."

The two spoke a few more moments about Sam's condition and then hung up. Greg rubbed his face briskly as he considered just how much to share with the team. The General said it was intensely personal and he was right. He decided to keep the part about Mrs. Braddock to himself. He would tell enough of the rest so the team would understand there was an incident in Sam's past that might have triggered this fear.

They would begin looking into Gaston Dupont's past. They needed to know if this person was related or possibly Gerard himself in order to protect Sam. Part of him wondered what Sam would do if confronted by his childhood abuser. Would he remember or not? Would he snap?

Then he thought if this man was Gerard would he remember Sam? Would he go after him now or stay away? Did he harbor any ill will toward Sam seeing that his military career was ended? There was no way to know the answers to those questions right now.

So until they knew more they would keep Sam under very close watch. Sam was in no condition mentally or physically to protect himself right now. Damn he wished Dr. Tansy was available to help with the emotional side of the equation. But he was telling the truth about Jules. She and Sam still had a connection. They needed to allow Jules to take the lead on how to handle Sam.

Greg headed toward his bedroom to shower. He rubbed his neck as he thought that a warm shower just might loosen up his tense muscles. The past two weeks had surely taken a toll and he had never felt so tense.

As the hot water cascaded over his shoulders, Greg's muscles relaxed slightly but not completely. He had a bad feeling that more trouble was lurking around the corner waiting for Team One.

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Sam's Room**_

Jules yawned as she woke up feeling calm and warm for the first time in nearly two weeks. She blinked awake and smiled. She had not meant to but she had fallen asleep in Sam's bed and she was still mostly sitting up. She stretched her arms and rotated her stiff neck thinking this was not the most comfortable position to sleep in. But she looked down at her lap and smiled again. Sam's head was still in her lap where he laid it last night.

Listening carefully to his breathing she determined he was actually still asleep. She smiled again. It appeared he had not moved all night. He may or may not have woken up during the night but she was happy he felt safe enough to stay in her lap. She hoped he had slept the entire night. Sam really needed sleep.

Jules did not want to move and wake him but she had to use the bathroom badly. So she lightly raked her fingers through his hair. Sam's eyes flicked open. Jules could feel his body tense as he woke, that told her the wariness and fear persisted. It broke her heart. She knew it was too much to expect that one night home would resolve it but she had hoped.

She decided to act as normal as possible and so she softly spoke words often used when she woke up in his arms "Morning Mr. Blue Eyes." Jules waited for him to connect with her eyes. When he did she tried to hide her sadness at the fear and anguish that still reflected in his eyes.

Jules caressed his face very gently not wanting to touch any sore spots. Tenderly she asked "Did you finally get some sleep my love?" After the last four days she did not expect a response but she still wished for one.

After a few moments and no response Jules continued "Sorry to wake you but I have to move now, nature calls. I won't go far and I'll be back shortly okay?"

She gave him a small smile then as he stayed quiet she said "It's okay you don't have to talk if you don't want to. You take as much time as you need my love. I'll be here when you are ready. But right now I really have to go."

Jules carefully lifted his head and shimmied out from under and replaced her lap with a pillow. She bent down and gave him a light kiss on the forehead. She saw it as a small win that he did not pull back or shy away. A quick glance at the clock told her that Sam was due for pain meds in about twenty minutes.

She brushed his hair once more and said "I'll be back in a few with your meds and a little something to eat. Spike and Wordy are here too. Just call out for Wordy if you need anything before I come back."

Sam's eyes closed as she took a tentative step back from him not really wanting to lose the touch. Her fingers brushed over his feet as she rounded the end of the bed. Jules unlocked and opened the door then headed to her room to quickly shower, change then get his med.

Heading to the stairs she saw Wordy in the kitchen making toast. Jules called out softly "I'm gonna grab a shower. Can you pop a piece in for Sam for when he takes his meds? Also can you check with him if he needs to use the restroom?"

Wordy looked up and smiled "Sure thing. How'd Sam sleep last night?"

Jules called over her shoulder as she raced up the stairs "Tell ya in a minute, really gotta go right now."

He smiled as he put a piece of bread in the toaster for Sam. When he had come downstairs twenty minutes ago he had tried Sam's door and found it locked. Wordy contemplated the reasons why she would lock the door and the only one that made sense was that she wanted to be very close to Sam and did not want to be accidentally discovered. He debated whether to let her know he suspected. He decided to keep quiet for now and act as if everything was normal.

Sam lay with his eyes closed. He thought he had dreamed being in Jules lap last night but apparently he had not, it was real. He had felt a sense of comfort for the first time in days. The ever present fear had diminished ever so slightly as his head lay in her lap. Her soft hands caressing his face felt good. He wanted to stay like that forever.

If Jules was caring for him like that she had no clue what he had done. He could not bring himself to speak to her. He knew that if he opened his mouth he would have to tell her what he had done, how he had betrayed her. Sam was not ready to face that yet. He felt cowardly and weak but for now he needed her comfort and love. So he stayed quiet.

Eventually he would have to talk. But he needed to be stronger physically. He needed to be able to walk. Because once he told her he would need to walk away from everything and everyone that mattered to him. Nothing was ever simple or easy for him and he screwed up so many times.

He should have followed the rules. But the heart wanted what the heart wanted and his wanted Jules. So he risked it all and had lost. Part of him wished he had died before having to betray her. Her heart would still be broken but at least she would still love him.

A single tear slid out as he thought, if only I had been more aware in the fishery, I could have prevented all of this. Then a small thought entered his muddled mind Jules had seen the video. The guy from Interpol said she had. She already knew he betrayed her. Spike also had seen the video and he had talked to him in the hospital. Neither had shunned him and walked away.

An ever so tiny spark of hope entered his heart. Did Jules forgive him? Did Spike forgive him? Was everything he cared about really lost to him?

He inhaled deeply and smelled Jules familiar scent on the pillow. It relaxed him and he slipped off to a more restful sleep clinging tightly to the spark of hope.


	22. Connor's Case, Ed's New Partner & Market

**Connor's Case, Ed's New Partner & Market**

* * *

 _ **SRU HQ – Conference Room 3**_

Patrick Downs knocked on conference room 3. The dispatcher had said that Connor was here. Connor opened the door and motioned for Pat to enter. Pat looked around at the boxes of evidence in the office. Connor looked to be in the process of taking down the photos of all the victims.

"What do I owe for this pleasure Pat?" Connor said smiling as he reached for another photo and folded the tape on the backside of the photo before laying it on the table.

Pat grinned "A few reasons Sir."

"Stop with the Sir, just call me Connor."

"Yes Sir, I mean Connor." Pat turned a shade of red but thankfully Connor did not look at him and see "First I have a small token of my wife's and my appreciation. We got word today that we will get to continue working together. Your input was the deciding factor. We wish it was more but we hope you like it. My wife loves to add a splash of it in her tea from time to time. I use it in my coffee."

Connor turned from the wall and accepted a nicely wrapped box. He carefully opened it and smiled. "No thanks were necessary but I have to tell you this is perfect. I love Bailey's Irish Cream in my tea occasionally too."

Pat beamed glad that they had found something the man liked. They were completely in his debt even though he did not want to recognize it. Without his good word they would have been fired.

"Second I have completed the full report of our interrogation of Saul Rodriguez and Zhang" Pat stated.

Connor took the file folders and opened the top one reviewing it quickly "So Saul will be extradited to Brazil to stand trial for murder, assault and abduction, rape, and two counts of accessory to murder a police officers. I see he was responsible for the deaths of four of the accomplices in Brazil." He read that he had raped one of the officers before he was murdered by Vlad.

Pat reported "Canada will get second crack at him for abduction, assault, arson and two counts of accessory to attempted murder of police offices. Although based on the charges and evidence in Brazil, Canada will probably never get a chance to try him for these crimes. He's going to rot in a Brazilian jail the rest of his life."

"Serves him right, despicable human being" Connor said switching folders. He flipped it open. "Oh this is sad. Really?"

Shrugging his shoulders Pat responded "The shrinks seem to think so. Poor kid never had a decent chance at life. He was only seven when Vlad took him from the streets; doesn't even know his last name. They took DNA and finger prints and will be checking with Georgian authorities in charge of missing children but they may never know who he really is. Zhang may not even be his real first name. It turns out that he was sixteen when he was forced to begin participating in Vlad's mayhem. He's only twenty-two right now."

Connor read the details "So are they are going to charge him or get him help?"

"Depends which country wins the extradition battle. But I hope he gets help. He might not be able to be re-integrated into normal society but maybe they can place him in a treatment facility instead of prison. He knows what he did was wrong but he was basically Stockholmed at an early age and did what he needed to survive" Pat said.

"Anything else you have for me?" Connor asked feeling exceedingly bad for Zhang but knowing it was completely out of his hands as to what would happen to him.

Pat answered "Yeah, two more things. My sister-in-law Shawn says that if you need help with audio files again to just call her. She said she wished her boyfriend would be that protective of her."

Connor grinned "Her efforts were much appreciated."

Pulling another file from his pack Pat said "Lastly, my boss sent over the file you agreed to review. It just came to Interpol a few days ago because they just connected victims via MO and DNA to the same serial rapist-murderer that has been working his way across Canada. There have been two in BC, two in Alberta, one in Saskatchewan, three in Manitoba and one in Ontario about three weeks ago. The killer has become international now with two cold cases in the US linked to the same DNA; one in New York and one in Pennsylvania."

The file was labeled 'Ponytail Killer'. He opened it and did a quick scan of the file. Connor's stomach tied in knots. He quickly flipped through all the victims. This was heart-breaking. He sat heavily in the chair.

Pat was concerned "Connor you went white as a sheet. You okay?"

Tearing his eyes away from the pictures Connor said "Actually if it weren't eight o'clock in the morning I could use a shot or two of that Baileys right about now." He stared down at the victims photos. All young females, all could be variations of his Alice. They were petite with mid-length brown hair pulled into ponytails. He looked at Pat "Tell your boss I'll get right on it."

Connor placed the file onto the table then looked up at Pat "I hate to ask but could you get someone to come in and pack up the Anagram Killer case files and evidence and transport them to the Interpol office in Ottawa."

Then he pulled a DVD labeled Sam and Spike from his pack then placed it on the table "This needs to be included." What he did not pull out was the surveillance notes file on Sam and Spike. No one but he knew it existed. It remained tucked in his pack and would be burned in his fireplace tonight.

Pat responded "No problem I'll get someone over here by this afternoon at the latest."

"Thanks Pat, say hi to your lovely wife for me" Connor said as he pulled a notebook and pen out of his pack and delved into the new case file. He thought sometimes it was bloody hell being so good at his job. He and his team got some of the toughest cases; too bad his was short-handed since Darren had retired and Amelia quit to start a family. He wondered if Pat squared might be interested in relocating to Manchester.

Seeing Connor focus turn to the case file Pat left the room and made a phone call to have the evidence collected and transferred to Ottawa. Part of him was looking for a change of location; he and Pat had pissed off most the Ottawa office by getting married. It was a cold atmosphere. This morning he had found out by accident that Connor was short staffed and in need of two seasoned investigators. He decided to talk to his wife to see if she might be interested in relocating before he approached Connor.

* * *

 _ **Ed's Home**_

Ed finished buttoning his jeans then shoved his feet into his comfortable loafers as he pulled on his light blue polo shirt. He glanced at the clock and could not believe he slept so long; it was nearly nine-thirty. He had to get to the hospital and back before eleven-thirty when he expected Greg.

He headed downstairs and into the kitchen and found Sophie feeding Izzy and Clark eating a bowl of cereal. He smiled at the lazy Saturday morning routine of his family. It had been an adjustment to meet Sophie's demands for returning to SRU but he was glad for it. She had been right in everything she had demanded.

There were some hiccups but Ed was learning to have better balance in his life. He was finding it easier to connect with Clark although that was still difficult sometimes. He enjoyed the time he got to spend with Izzy. He was happy to see Sophie so fulfilled with her own catering business.

Ed went to the coffee pot and poured a cup then sat at the table "Sophie, something has come up and I need to head to the hospital is morning. I should be back by eleven. Then I need to head over to Jules's place today."

Sophie paused in feeding Izzy and said "Ed, remember I have the Castellon wedding to cater today. Dessi called in sick today and I have to go in by ten to ensure everything gets done on time. I was hoping you could take care of Izzy."

Looking at Clark Ed said "I hate to ask on your Saturday Clark but could you watch Izzy?"

Clark loved his little sister but hated that his plans were again getting squashed because he needed to babysit. He sighed and said "Yeah I can watch her. I just have to call Dean back and let him know I can't hang out with the group today."

Ed heard the dejection and said "What were your plans?"

Raking his long curly locks back from his eyes Clark said "Dean and a bunch of us were going to catch a movie and play laser tag over at the mall today. I told Dean I could give him a ride since his dad needed the car today. But I guess we can just hang here."

Ed looked at his daughter and his son. He had missed his time with Izzy lately and Clark had stepped up and helped out a lot in the last two weeks. Clark was a great kid and he deserved time to just hang out and have fun with his friends. He smiled at Clark and patted his shoulder "No you keep your plans. Izzy can be my new partner today."

Sophie finished feeding Izzy and started to wipe her face removing bits and pieces of oatmeal as she asked "Are you sure about that Ed?"

Getting up and heading to Izzy he smiled broadly as Izzy reached out her short chubby arm excitedly for him and he said "Absolutely. She'll be the prettiest partner I've ever had. Isn't that right pretty girl?" He followed that comment with a string of baby talk getting Izzy to laugh with delight as he picked her up.

Sophie chuckled at the sight. Her macho husband was reduced to baby talk by Izzy's charms. If Ed wasn't careful Izzy would have him wrapped around her little finger for good.

Clark just stared at his dad. This was a new side of him. Ever since Izzy was born he had spent more time with the family. It took some getting used to but for the most part he liked it. And now his dad told him to go have fun and he would watch Izzy. Miracles did happen he guessed. He echoed his mom's question "Are you sure dad? I know Sam and Spike just got out of the hospital yesterday. They might not want a baby around."

Ed looked at his son "I'm sure Clark. Jules won't mind me bringing Izzy with me. She's such a good girl. Might even be a good thing for Spike and Sam." He left unsaid that if there was a problem he could always contact Shel knowing that in a heartbeat she would watch Izzy for an hour or two.

With Izzy in his arms he spoke to her "Let's go get you changed into your prettiest outfit."

Clark chimed in "If she's your new partner dad maybe you should dress her in her cool pants and black shirt."

Ed laughed "Nah we're off duty. She gets to wear something pretty, frilly and pink."

Sophie and Clark just looked at one another then burst out laughing.

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Kitchen**_

Spike was sitting at the kitchen island eating breakfast made by Wordy when Jules joined them. Jules came up behind Spike and hugged him "I feel it's gonna be a great day today Spike. How did you sleep last night?"

He nearly choked on his bite "Not nice Jules. Don't sneak up on a guy like that, nearly choked on my bagel. I slept okay. How's Sam?"

Jules patted his back "Sorry Spike, wasn't thinking and I didn't mean to startle you. I'll make it up to you. Sam seemed to get a bit of sleep last night but the fear is still present. Did you have any nightmares last night?"

He started to say no but caught sight of Wordy looking at him with a raised eyebrow. He figured Greg told them all about his nightmares so he answered truthfully "Yeah, but they weren't quite as bad. He didn't die …" his voice becoming very soft and despondent "… every time."

Wordy leaned forward on his elbows on the island counter and asked gently "Wanna talk about it?"

Spike looked at Wordy and then at Jules and just shook his head "Not right now. Maybe …" he trailed off not knowing if he really ever wanted to talk about them.

After a few more moments rubbing Spike's back Jules stepped away and started looking in her cabinets "You just need time. If you want to talk we are here." She took mental notes of the items she needed to get from the market. Jules wanted to stock up on Sam's and Spike's favorite comfort foods and snacks.

Wordy asked "What ya doing Jules?"

She headed to the fridge and opened it and perused the contents then closed it "Just seeing what I need from the market. If you are able to stay with Spike and Sam for a bit longer I thought I run out after I give Sam his meds. They should knock him out a bit; he's still on a pretty strong dose."

"Sure no problem. I was planning on staying until Greg and Ed got here with the tapes anyways" Wordy responded.

Spike looked at them quizzically "Tapes? What tapes?"

Wordy brought Spike up to speed on everything they had discussed last night after he went to bed while Jules got Sam's meds and snack ready. Then Jules headed to Sam's room to make sure he took them. When she returned Wordy was just finishing.

Spike said "So you guys really think there is something that connects his guy to Sam's fear?"

Jules shrugged "It's a long shot, but three of us that met him got bad vibes from the jerk. Part of me wanted to take the guy down. Lois told me later that he is an absolute jerk to the nurses. She said he made one of her newbies cry when he yelled at her for spilling coffee on him as she exited a break room. I would have loved to see it as Lois gave him a piece of her mind."

Wordy chuckled "Nurse Clarry all sweet and grandmotherly unless you threaten her patients or nurses. Then she can become a grizzly bear; would have paid money to watch her take a swipe at him."

Spike was not following Jules and Wordy's discussion on nurse Clarry. His mind was occupied with the video tapes. Finishing his coffee he said "So Jules, it's a good thing we recorded the times Sam became more agitated."

Then based on what they had said about the new head of security Spike stated "But how cooperative do you think he will be in providing the tapes. It would be hard to justify a warrant to obtain them based on Ed's gut feeling. And I mean the guy is the head of security and all. Ed can't just waltz in there and demand them."

Wordy smiled and said irreverently "Well I guess Ed will just have to use his charm."

Jules and Spike snorted.

Innocently Wordy said "What? You don't think Eddie can be sweet and charming?" They all laughed.

Spike chuckled "We are talking about the same man Wordy? You know the one that has two emotions none and angry. The one that yells at you when he is concerned. That guy right?"

Chuckling Jules said "I'm thinking either Ed will need to call in Greg or resort to stealing the tapes. I'd put my money on stealing."

Wordy and Jules shared a look. It was good to hear Spike laugh and joke and it not be fake and forced. Jules grabbed her purse and fished out her keys "Spike any special requests from the market?"

Spike thought a moment then gave Jules his puppy dog begging eyes as he requested "Ingredients to make a double batch of Sam's favorite cookies."

Jules hugged Spike and gave him a look that said she adored his concern "On the list, also hot chocolate and mini marshmallows just for you." She hugged him again then said "Back in a bit, call if Sam needs me. I won't be long I'm just going to the little market a few blocks away."

* * *

 _ **Hospital**_

Ed walked into the front entrance of the hospital with Izzy in his arms. She was in a bright and bubbly mood today. She looked cute in her pink dress with little white polka dots, white tights and pink shoes with sparkles on them. Sophie had clipped a little pink bow into her short strawberry-blonde hair.

As Ed headed to the elevator all the women turned to look and grinned. They clearly saw a father that adored his little girl. Ed pressed the button for the second floor where the security office was located.

When the door closed and only he and Izzy were in the elevator he spoke to Izzy with a twinkle in his eye "So what ya think? Do we do a hard entry or use the world's cutest little negotiator." He paused a moment and Izzy cooed and bubbled. Ed said "I totally agree, world's cutest negotiator it is. I'm counting on you to use all your charm to connect with whoever is on duty today to help daddy get something to help Uncle Sam."

Ed had no qualms about taking Izzy into the security room because he had called Jim's wife Heather before he came over. He knew that they would not encounter Mr. Dupont today. Nurse Heather had checked for him and found out that it was his day off. She also shared with him that none of the surgical staff or ER staff liked the new head of security. They all thought he was a royal pain in the ass and a total jerk.

He had asked if she knew who was on duty. Heather had answered she was unsure because most of the security guards were new. Many old-timers had quit and Dupont had fired several others. The rumors were he was a hard man to work for and many just did not want to put up with his garbage.

Then Heather had laughed light-hearted and told them that Clare had won the pool on how many days it would take before Samtastic left the hospital. Everyone was bummed when Richie got to keep the pool on when Sam left AMA since he did not. She told him no one would bet on that anymore since Team One always had a plan to thwart him. He had laughed. Then she asked how Sam and Spike were doing. Ed simply told her they were recovering at Jules home.

Ed put a small smile on just before he opened the door to the security room. Better to catch flies with honey he thought. He sauntered in with Izzy on his hip. Ed stopped just inside the door and was surprised by who he saw in the security room. He grinned broadly "Morning Ridley it's been a long time."

Camilla Ridley, a fit woman in her early sixties with black hair just starting to show signs of gray was standing behind two young security guards who were seated at the monitors. "Well I'll be its Eddie as I live and breathe. You know if I've told you once I've told you a thousand times to call me Cami."

Ed laughed as Cami came forward her hand reaching out to touch Izzy's arm "Who do we have here?" Then teasing she said "Sophie's gonna be upset you are going for younger women."

"Cami this is my daughter Isabel, we call her Izzy" Ed said proudly.

Cami opened her arms and asked "May I hold her. She is so adorable." Izzy went willingly into Cami's arms and Cami spent several minutes talking nonsense to Izzy. Izzy for her part cooed and bubbled at the attention.

Ed watched then said "Cami what are you doing here?"

Pulling her eyes away from Izzy, Cami responded "Got bored, retirement was not all it was cracked up to be. After thirty-five years on the force just could not stand to be idle. Only lasted a month before I had to find something to do with my days. Just started a few days ago. What are you doing here? You looking for a job or are you still with SRU."

"Still TL for Team One. I came to see about getting access to some of the security tapes" Ed informed her. Izzy grabbed Cami's badge and stated gumming it. Ed said "I can take her back if you want?"

Shaking her head and bouncing Izzy she replied "Nah, she's good right here. Tapes you say. Is it related to a SRU case?"

Ed cocked his head to the side "No not exactly."

Cami looked at him quizzically "Got a warrant?"

"No" Ed replied

"Sounds intriguing. What tapes do you want and why?" Cami asked.

Ed looked at the two young guards who were had turned to watch them and follow their conversation instead of watching the monitors. At his raised eyebrow and stern look they quickly turned around and resumed their job.

Cami chuckled "You always had a look that could get pups moving."

He debated whether he should make the request here or ask to talk in Dupont's office. Ed decided to go for it here and gave her the details of the dates and area of the tenth floor he needed. On the spur of the moment he added "Also need tapes of the ICU unit for the two days prior to the tenth floor ones."

"You've told me what you need but not why you need it. What gives Eddie? What are you looking for?" Cami asked. Izzy started to get restless in her arms and so she handed her back to Ed.

Izzy laid her head on Ed's shoulder and quickly nodded off as he gently patted her back. "I'm not at liberty to say much. It concerns one of my guys. It may be nothing but I would really appreciate your help with obtaining a copy."

Cami turned to male guard "You know how to pull up what he is needing and make a copy?"

The young man replied "No Ma'am. Haven't been trained on that yet and don't we need Mr. Dupont's approval first?"

Ed caught Cami's eye-roll "I'm in charge when he is not here and I am giving my approval." She turned to the other guard "Do you know how?"

She smiled "Yes Ma'am I do. Shall I get started?" She liked Ms. Ridley and despised her new boss Mr. Dupont. She couldn't afford to quit but she didn't know how much longer she could work for a man like that and geez his cologne stank up the place.

"Yes" Cami stated.

The guard brought up the files for the tenth floor and the ICU. As the files copied she looked at the current monitors. "Ma'am this is odd."

Ed asked "What is odd?"

The female guard looked back at him and then back to the monitor "The camera positions for the areas you wanted are odd. They are not positioned normally. See here on the tenth floor the camera is focused so you see directly at the door of room 1016. And the ICU one is pointed directly into the room. We never do that for privacy reasons. It is supposed to be pointed at the hallway."

Ed and Cami looked at each other. With a nod of her head Cami indicated for Ed to step outside with her. Once the door was closed she said "My years on the force tells me this is hinky. Is there anything I should be aware of?"

Pacing a bit Ed considered what to tell her "We have absolutely no proof of anything yet so I am not making any accusations. It may be solely coincidence but we need to be sure. One of my guys had a negative reaction to an odor while in here. The odor is the cologne Mr. Dupont wears. We need the tapes to verify if his continued reactions correspond to Dupont being close by."

Her interest peaked Cami squinted her eyes thinking "You say negative what do you mean."

"I won't go into more detail of Sam's reaction but I will tell you that two of my team and I had an instant bad vibe to Dupont. We just want to help our guy and this is one avenue for us to investigate. Like I said it may be nothing we just want to verify" Ed reiterated.

She leaned up against the wall "Your gut feelings served you well when you were in my department ages ago. I have to say I don't much like Dupont either. He rubs me the wrong way. He expects respect without bothering to give it or earn it."

Cami blew out a breath and decided to confide in Ed "The Director of the Hospital has gotten so many complaints in such a short time I was actually hired to secretly investigate Dupont. So far I have not seen anything that he could be fired for. But the turnover in the department is astronomical, some good long-time employees up and quit. The nursing staff hate him."

She smiled "I would have given you the tapes without requiring anything in return. But if your investigation finds anything that might be useful to me I hope that you will share it with me."

Ed shifted a sleeping Izzy to his other shoulder and said "With pleasure."

The young female guard opened the door "Ma'am I've finished." She held out the DVDs containing the files. She handed the DVDs to Ed and said "Your daughter is beautiful. I hope you find what you need to help your officer."

Ed nodded and she returned to the room and closed the door. He looked to Cami "Thanks for your help today. If I do find anything I will be sure to get it to you."

Pushing off the wall Cami leaned over and placed a kiss on Izzy's cheek then smiled at Ed "Clark's gotta be what sixteen or seventeen now. How's he taking having a little sister?"

Proudly Ed said "He's a great kid and I'm very proud of him. He has been so helpful and adores his little sister. Izzy has both of us wrapped around her little finger."

Cami chuckled "I can see that. Take care Eddie. Say hi to Sophie for me." Ed nodded and headed for the elevator. Cami headed back into the security room deciding to review the tapes to determine just exactly when the cameras had been repositioned. Pointing the one in the ICU was a severe breach of patient privacy. If the investigation revealed Dupont was responsible it would be a fireable offence.

* * *

 _ **Market – Near Jules's Home**_

Jules hopped out of the Jeep and headed into the market. She was in a slightly better mood today having been able to spend the night close to Sam. She realized months ago that the simple act of waking up next to Sam brightened her day.

She was lost in thoughts of Sam as she moved down the first aisle of the market. Jules accidentally bumped into someone. Knocked a bit off balance by the size of the man she collided with she managed to say "I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention."

Logan Hill looked down at the woman. He smiled "No problem missy. Thou I'm a big a as a tree. Don't seein how yas missed me."

She looked up at his face and apologized again "I should have been looking where I was going. I'm sorry." Jules moved off down the aisle gathering necessary items to make the cookies. She should get enough to make a triple batch. That way one could be for Sam one for Spike and one for the rest of them to share.

Logan watched the petite, brown haired woman go down the aisle. He had the urge again. He followed her discreetly up and down the aisle appearing to be shopping along the same path of the market. Yes she was perfect. His large hand would fit perfectly around her delicate throat. Her pony tail was the perfect color and length to add to his collection.

He stood appearing to be deciding on which bread to get as he leered at her.

Jules was choosing mangos when she felt a queer shiver. She looked around trying to put something concrete with the feeling of unease. She saw three women and two men in the fruits, vegetables and bread section. She quickly dismissed the two women with young children and the girl that looked to be about twenty.

She took a moment to land on the tree man that she had bumped into. He was selecting bread right now. Then her eyes landed on the back of a man near the potatoes and onions. She got a sense he was familiar. He was a tall, broad shouldered, muscular man with long graying hair.

Unable to shake the sense the man was familiar she moved to the opposite side of the bin holding potatoes. She pretended to pick out yams wanting to get a glimpse of his face. But he turned away just before she could see and headed to the meat counter.

Jules decided that she must be jumpy given everything in the past few weeks. Maybe Sam's sense of fear was rubbing off on her. She grabbed the few remaining items and headed for the registers.

Gaston Dupont was no good at tailing someone she had almost seen his face. He and Gerard had been sitting in a car watching her house knowing that Sam was inside. Gerard had gotten out of the car and told him to follow Jules when she left. Gerard stayed to keep watch on the house.

As Gaston passed the huge man he noticed he was also watching her. His face had a definite leer to it. It made his skin crawl. He diverted from the meat counter and headed to the next register and kept his face diverted. When he got close enough he grabbed a magazine and raised it up to cover most of his face. Only his eyes were visible as he watched Jules.

He noticed the large man also came to the registers. The man's eyes never left her. He got a visceral reaction when the man licked his lips and grinned.

The large man was behind her as they all exited the market. Gaston followed but hung back somewhat. Gerard would be pissed at him if he allowed her to see him.

Gaston watched as she loaded the bags into her Jeep. She looked around seemingly wary. He saw as the large man started to make a beeline for her. There was something in the man's eyes that told him he meant her harm. He could not allow that.

He veered off toward the man and called out "Hank, Hank. Hey Hank it's me Nelson." He stopped right in front of the man preventing him from moving forward. His back was to Jules so she could not see his face. Gerard wouldn't be pissed at him.

Logan stopped as an equally large man called to him and prevented him from capturing his petite ponytail. He growled "I'm not Hank and I don't know a Nelson. Get out of my way." He stepped to the right, the Nelson guy stepped with him. He stepped to the left and again the man stepped with him. Logan was getting angry.

Gaston plastered on a fake smile and said "Sorry dude. Thought you were Hank. How about we stop dancing here? You go right and I'll go left." They both moved again but in the same direction because Gaston's left was the large man's right.

They both heard the Jeep come to life and back out of the parking space.

Logan shoved the man and growled.

Gaston let out a sigh of relief and headed to the car. He needed to get moving in case she was not heading right back home. He put the car in gear and quickly followed.

Logan stood watching his ponytail get away. He wrote down the license plate number. He would hack into the motor department records and get her address. She would not get away that easily.

As Jules drove home she could not get rid of the uneasy feeling of being watched. She had overheard the two large men and the case of mistaken identity. She had spared a glance hoping to see the long haired man's face but from her angle she could not see. All she saw was the angry tree man that was mistaken for Hank.

Jules tried to put it out of her mind. She mostly succeeded. But then something told her she should mention it to the guys when she got home.


	23. Pats, Oracle, Clues, Cookies & Deviants

_**AN: Graphic warning, this chapter contains a memory scene from a pedophile's perspective of an assault**_ _._ _Apologies to those that don't like to read this kind of detail. The story will read fine if you skip that section entirely because there is an implied thought before the memory scene and a lead back into present day that work whether you read the pedophile's memory or not. **The scene is clearly delineated so you can easily recognize and skip it if so desired.**_

* * *

 **Pats, Oracle, Clues, Cookies & Deviants **

* * *

_**SRU HQ – Conference Room 3**_

Patricia and Patrick Downs entered the conference room with the key provided by Winnie. They both stopped and looked at the remaining photos on the wall.

Patricia thought this case was awful all the way around; so many dead. Poor Connor learning that his daughter was actually killed by this madman. Although she had just met him she liked Connor a lot. It was sad to see him have to grieve for his daughter again.

Her gaze stopped on Sam and Spike's photos. Those men were lucky in many ways but mostly because they had such caring friends and family. Too bad not everyone had that, Zhang came to mind, and to some extent so did she and Patrick. They pretty much only had each other; the only family either of them had left was her sister Shawn. Both had lost their parents at a young age.

When she was seventeen she and Shawn had moved from Manchester to Ottawa to live with their maternal grandmother after their parents died. Just shy of her twenty-first birthday their grandmother had passed away and she became Shawn's guardian for the next year until she turned eighteen. Patrick's parents had died when he was twenty. He was the only child of two only children so had no extended family. He was left all alone at the age of twenty.

Looking about the room assessing what needed to be cataloged and packed Patricia said "Winnie is a sweet person offering to help us pack this up. I like the vibe in this place. They certainly all seem care a lot about each other. Can't believe how many of the officers thanked us for our help in finding Sam and Spike. Wish our office was like that."

Patrick reached up and started removing the photos "I agree on both accounts. This would be an awesome place to work. And yeah our coworkers are a bit on the frosty side. Who knew they'd be so ticked off that we found happiness with one another?"

Taking a handful of file folders and filling out the evidence catalog form Patricia said "I think they feel a bit betrayed by us. Isn't it ironic that we got pulled into this case that is all about some twisted sense of betrayal? I'm not looking forward to heading back; maybe this cataloging of evidence could take us a day or so?"

Both chuckled and she continued "I know we get it done this afternoon, you promised Connor it would be done. You know I thought for sure at least Barry, Haley and Monica would be accepting. But the venom spewed by Monica makes me wonder if I ever really knew her or any of them."

Pulling the last photo down, the one of Sam, he stared at it as he responded "I know what you mean. Richard was the same way with me. I imagine that although we weren't fired we will be assigned every crap case they can find." He sighed wishing their coworkers had been more accepting.

He turned and looked at the love of his life. He'd do anything for her, even put up with nasty coworkers he had thought were friends and crap jobs if she didn't want to move. But maybe they could change that so he decided to bring up what he discovered this morning "I found out something interesting this morning."

Grabbing the next set of files to catalog she asked "What?"

Sorting the photos into the appropriate files Patrick shared "Connor is short staffed. He needs to replace two full-time permanent investigators. Any desire to move back to your home stomping grounds?"

Patricia finished recording the files and stood up to put them into a box "Do you think he would want us? Would you mind living in Manchester? It's a bit colder there than Ottawa you know."

"Truthfully, I could use a change of scenery." A mischievous grin appeared as Patrick sidled up behind Patricia and wrapped his arms around her pulling her to his chest. "I wouldn't mind the cold. More reason to hold you close and I'm _all_ for that."

Giggling Patricia turned in his arms and planted a solid kiss on his lips. "Why don't we invite Connor to dinner tonight and broach the subject with him."

"I knew I married you for a good reason" he said then kissed her again. "Let's move fast with the cataloging and packing so we can sneak in a short fling beneath the sheets before dinner."

Patricia pulled out of his arms as she blushed "What am I gonna do with you Patrick Downs?"

" _Anything_ you want baby" he responded then moved quickly to get out of her range as she playfully made to hit him for his overtly seductive remark.

At the other end of the room he looked down at the table. Connor had set the Sam and Spike DVD here. "Did you grab the DVD from here?"

Looking at him confused Patricia asked "What DVD?"

Patrick moved to the box with the other videos and searched it. He found none titled Sam and Spike. He checked all the other boxes and did not find it. "That's weird. I'm sure he left it on the table. I better contact Connor. Maybe he took it with him for some reason."

Patricia reminded him "When you call make sure you ask him to join us for dinner tonight."

* * *

 _ **Private Jet Over Atlantic Ocean**_

His phone rang and he set down his cleaning cloth to answer it. "Oracle" he said, the code name rolled easily from his mouth.

 _["Package obtained. Destroy or hold? Target under surveillance. No hostile action."]_

"Destroy. Maintain surveillance. Do not eliminate unless eminent threat. The bastard is mine."

 _["Roger." He hung up. He was beyond surprised to hear from Oracle several hours ago. But without a single question he vowed to do whatever was necessary to assist. Oracle had saved his hide more times than he could count. He smashed the DVD into pieces with a hammer, not needing to know what it contained. It was enough that Oracle deemed it needed to be destroyed.]_

He hung up and resumed cleaning his Remi. Intel had confirmed the bastard was too close. He spent his life protecting his country and the world from threats. It was time to protect his own. It was time for vengeance.

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home**_

When Jules had arrived home from the market she enlisted the help of Spike and Wordy in baking cookies. Mostly she made Spike sit and supervise with his cup of hot chocolate topped with mini marshmallows. Greg, Ed and Izzy had shown up when the last batch of cookies were coming out of the oven.

Izzy had become another instant fan of Sam's favorite cookies. While she played with Izzy, Greg made everyone sandwiches for lunch. Wordy took the opportunity to rest on the back porch hammock and call Shel. During the same time Ed setup Izzy's playpen in the family room then went into Sam's room for a few minutes.

When he returned to the family room he handed Jules a baby monitor. She asked what it was for. Ed laughed as he told her it was to monitor Sam. He reasoned that she couldn't stay in his room 24/7. This would allow her to be in another room and still hear if Sam needed help. Jules thanked him for his thoughtfulness. He confessed it was Sophie's idea and told her that Sophie would be bringing dinner tonight when she picked up Izzy.

After lunch and a quick check on Sam who was still zonked out from the pain meds they got down to work. Jules started off by telling them about her weird feeling at the market. For some reason all of them had gut feelings that they needed to be on guard. So they decided that until they figured out why Ed, Greg or Wordy would stay with them at all times.

Wordy offered to stay the next three nights and told the others that Shel insisted that he stay to help Sam and Spike. Actually he had spoken to Shel and shared his suspicions. He told her that Sam seemed a bit better today after one night with Jules then asked her advice.

Shel shared with him that she had always thought they made a good couple and they should help out anyway they could. They agreed he should spend the next few nights to allow Jules the opportunity to stay the night with Sam without Ed, Greg or Spike finding out.

Greg and Ed had stopped by SRU HQ on the way over and picked up Spike's laptop. Spike quickly loaded the hospital security tape files. Then played the tapes while everyone except Sam watched. It became clear that all the times that Sam had been agitated and his fear had increased Dupont had been outside his room.

They even discovered he had been outside Sam's ICU room when the first reaction had occurred. No one had recalled seeing him there but he was. Greg surmised that Sam's reaction was intense that time because the scent had to have been overpowering for him with both Dr. Dayton and Dupont wearing it.

Spike had captured a good still picture of Gaston and sent it to the General as he had requested. They had not heard back from the General on the man's service file. But they supposed he was busy and it might take a while for him to get back to them.

Greg shared enough of what the General told him about Sergeant Gerard Dupont that everyone was concerned for Sam and wondered if it was really related. Spike had quickly started running a background check on Gerard Dupont.

He found out and shared that after receiving his BCD Gerard had apparently become a cook. Over the years he had become a popular chef who did not seem to stay for more than a few years in any one place.

Gerard had recently left his last employer. The owner of the Italian Grotto restaurant in Winnipeg said he was headed to some fancy restaurant in Montreal. But he did not recall the name. He was sad to see Gerard go. He was liked by all his coworkers and was quite a ladies man.

As they traced him backwards they got pretty much the same thing from all previous employers. Ed stated it felt wrong somehow and asked how could a man be so likable yet be capable of abusing a child. Wordy suggested maybe he turned over a new leaf after the BCD. Greg reminded them that looks could be deceiving and that some of the worst murders seemed like the nicest people.

When Spike was reviewing Gerard's birth certificate he found something that had surprised them all. Gerard Dupont had a twin brother named Gaston. A background check on Gaston revealed he was one and the same as the Gaston that was currently head of security at the hospital. The found out that Gaston also tended to move a lot.

After what Ed shared what he learned from Cami the background fit. Wordy, Jules and Greg contacted several former employers and all said that he was a hard man to work for. He was demanding, condescending mostly to women and had usually left under a cloud of potential misconduct but nothing could ever be directly linked to him.

They sat discussing the disjointed nature of all the clues for some time now. Jules felt they were missing something big and needed a break to let their minds focus on something else for a bit.

Jules checked her watch, it was time for both Spike and Sam's medication. Spike was looking worn out again but seemed to be in a little better spirits now that he was helping. She shared a meaningful look with Greg and flicked her eyes to Spike then back to Greg.

She waited for Ed to finish his last statement about it being odd but Gaston's life seemed more aligned with a former drill sergeant than being a cook before she said "It time for Sam's and Spike's meds. Ed can you go wake Sam and see if he needs to use the little boys room while I get his meds?"

Ed rose and peaked at Izzy who was happily entertaining herself in the playpen then headed to Sam's room without a word. Jules headed to the kitchen. Wordy rose and went to pick Izzy up and see if she needed changing. Yep sure enough, he did this so often when his girls were little he didn't mind helping out.

Greg had read Jules quick unspoken message 'get Spike to rest'. He looked at Spike in time to see the stifled yawn. He noted dark circles under his eyes and knew nightmares must still be disturbing his sleep. "Hey Spike, we are going to take a bit of a break. After you take your pills you should take a short nap."

Spike wanted to refuse but between the pain medication and his restless sleep the last four nights he was tired. But he didn't want to miss out on the discussion. Something odd was happening and they seemed to be on the cusp of something. He was torn.

Watching the emotions clearly cross Spike's face Greg intervened "I'm ordering you to go rest. You did a lot this afternoon. I promise if we figure out anything I'll come wake you." Greg stood up then pulled Spike up out of his chair. He pointed him in the direction of the kitchen. "Go."

Spike headed to the kitchen and took his pain pills. Then reluctantly he headed up to his room. He felt good today helping out even though they still had not really figured out how to help Sam yet, but it was a start he thought.

As he lay down on his bed he thought about what Greg told him of Sam's childhood. He wondered how finding out Sam had been beaten so badly as a child to make him run away and hide would affect his nightmares. Spike hoped it wouldn't, they were bad enough already.

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Sam's Room**_

Ed slowly opened Sam's door. It appeared that Sam was asleep but with Sam he could never quite tell. He was good at faking it. He watched his rookie. Well technically he hadn't been the rookie for a very long time. But considering the current make-up of the team he was still the rookie of the team.

Sam was definitely a man but for some reason the word kid still popped into his head when he thought about Sam. He sighed softly; this kid had one hell of a childhood and stint in the Army. Wherever the fear was stemming from it was most likely warranted. It saddened him that Sam had to deal with so much in his life. If he could snap his fingers and make the fear disappear he would.

Slowly he edged to the bed and called out softly "Samo you awake?" He did not want to startle Sam awake, that was a dangerous thing to do. He called again "Sam, buddy. Time for your meds."

Sam blinked his eyes open. He had been awake most the afternoon. He had heard their voices in the other room but could not distinguish what they were saying. Even though he did not sleep the day had been better than his previous ones.

The heightened sense of fear was finally starting to slowly ebb away. Sam wasn't exactly sure why it was going. His mind grappled to figure out why it was going but part of him didn't care why. He was just glad for it.

Standing near the bed Ed said "Good you are a wake. Need to use the bathroom?"

Sam thought this was humiliating. He could not even sit up without help let alone make it to the bathroom by himself. But he was not about to lay here and piss himself, that would be worse. Sam simply nodded.

Ed reached down and carefully swung Sam's legs off the side of the bed being as gentle as he could with the injured leg. Then he squatted and put Sam's uninjured arm around his shoulders and cautiously put his arm around Sam's waist.

Before moving he queried "Ready?" Sam gave a nod. Ed very slowly rose taking Sam with him to a standing position.

He waited a moment for Sam to get his bearings and control the waves of pain that were caused by the movements. Ed heard the breathing that told him Sam was trying to get control. He waited until it evened out a bit. It was slow going but eventually they made it to the adjoining bathroom.

Sam was extremely grateful for the fact that this bathroom had been designed for someone with a disability. When Jules had remodeled she had kept the stability bars. He had joked with her that in their line of work it would be a good thing. He never meant to actually have to use the bars. Ed helped him maneuver so he could hold himself up giving him some modicum of privacy. When he was done Ed helped him back to the bed.

The short trip utterly exhausted him and caused his pain level to increase dramatically. He was panting to control the pain. His thigh was throbbing from putting weight on his leg. His ribs ached with each breath and from the light pressure of Ed's arm around him to help him walk.

Beads of sweat had formed on his forehead. As soon as he sat on the edge of the bed Ed handed him a cool cloth and he wiped his face. He took a moment to prepare himself for the arduous task of getting the rest of the way into the bed.

Sliding off was always much easier than levering himself back into bed. A sharp stab of pain radiated across his shoulder as he tried to push on the bed with the arm of his injured shoulder to move himself toward the headboard. He clenched his jaw but could not stop the hiss of pain escaping.

Ed reached under his armpits and lifted him into place. As Ed helped him get into a somewhat comfortable position Ed assured him "Samo I know it hurts. You're doing great. Almost there, you got this buddy. Jules is getting your pain meds and will be here in a moment."

As Ed was tucking pillows to support Sam in a partially seated position Jules came in. She brightly said "You're awake. I know you have refused to eat so I made you something I know you cannot refuse. She pulled the plate she had hidden behind her back and moved forward.

Sam had smelled the tempting aroma earlier today. The corners of his mouth edged up ever so slightly, it was not quite a smile but it was a start.

Jules almost could not contain the feeling of happiness that went through her seeing the beginnings of a smile. She handed him his pills and after he popped them in his mouth she handed him the glass of water. As he swallowed she set a plate with two oatmeal raisin walnut cookies in this lap.

Both Jules and Ed grinned as Sam reached for one and slowly brought it to his nose and inhaled deeply. They watched amazed as the constant fear that plagued his eyes began to dissipate and they saw as his tense body relaxed a bit back into the pillows.

As Sam took a small bite Ed placed an arm around Jules and gave her a quick hug letting her know she had done good.

Jules took a seat in the chair and said cheerfully "Made you a whole batch of your favorite cookies. No worries about Spike stealing them; I made him his very own batch too."

Ed backed up to the wall behind him and leaned on it. Jules sure seemed to know how to help Sam. Replacing an odor he feared with one that he really liked was pure genius. He found himself relaxing a bit as Sam continued to slowly eat the cookies.

Once again Ed found himself thinking about Jules and Sam in a relationship. They did seem to complement one another. They seemed to know when to back off or when to take action when the other was having trouble.

He pinched the bridge of his nose needing to stop those odd, stray thoughts of Sam and Jules. They were no more a couple than Jules and Spike were. He reminded himself that Jules knew exactly what Spike needed too. The hot chocolate with mini marshmallow, how to get him to release his guilt and how to get him to laugh. It was no different. They were just best friends now. Best friends knew those things.

Stopping that train of thought Ed moved toward the bed again "Samo glad to see you eating something. Speaking of eating I'm gonna go get Izzy a bottle. Jules if you need anything just holler we're just in the family room."

After Ed left Sam looked at Jules as he slowly chewed the cookie. He wanted to talk to her but the guys might over hear and he was not ready to talk to anyone else. He tried to communicate that to her with only his eyes.

When Sam finished the cookies Jules rose. She took the plate from his lap and brushed a few crumbs from his chest. "Those pain meds are gonna knock you out again. Let's get you more comfortable to sleep." She helped him get situated then knelt close and whispered "I heard your eyes. We will talk later tonight when they are gone."

Standing up Jules brushed once through his hair. As her hand was withdrawing Sam grasped it. He held it for a long moment as he gazed into her eyes then brought her hand to his lips and kissed it.

Barely audible he whispered "I need you."

Jules eyes glistened and she nodded her head too choked up to speak.

Sam released her hand as his eyes slipped closed. He felt his exhausted body pulled quickly into a drug induced slumber.

Jules brought the back of her hand to her own lips as she wiped at her eyes with the other. He spoke to her. He needed her; she would be there for him. As she headed out of the room she knew for certain now he would come back to her.

* * *

 _ **Outside Jules's Home - Gerard and Gaston**_

Gerard and Gaston were sitting in the car. Gaston glanced over at Gerard "What exactly are we doing here? No one has come or gone since those two guys and the baby went in hours ago. I'm getting hungry and this is just plain boring."

Gerard was tired of listening to his brother complain and he was also getting hungry. He didn't know exactly what he was going to do yet either. When Gaston followed Jules to the market he had reconed the exterior of the house. He found that Sam was in the downstairs bedroom.

Maybe that was enough for the moment. He turned to Gaston "Let's head home for now. You can make dinner. We can come back later tonight."

Gaston nodded and started the car. As he pulled away from the curb Gerard caught sight of a large man standing near some bushes staring at the same house. Probably just some neighbor he thought as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

He needed to decide what type of revenge he would take. Killing him quickly would not be as satisfying as finding a way to make him suffer for some time. He smiled thinking that Sam had looked to be suffering right now. He was weak and vulnerable right now too. Earlier when Jules was gone he had watched through the bedroom window as the one they called Wordy had to help him to the bathroom.

Gerard got an idea. Although his desire tended toward young untouched boys he wondered what it would be like to go back to his first now that he was a man. What would it be like to have power over him now? It was a heady rush as he thought more about it.

Sam had been his first boy and he had enjoyed it so much he was hooked. Gerard savored the memories of what occurred in the ammo depot that day. He relaxed as Gaston drove and let his mind run through the details.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
**_ _ **Graphic memory of his first boy (skip this section if you do not wish to read about child sexual assault)**_

 _The brat had the balls to stand up and threaten to tell the General that he was hitting him. Gerard knew he did not leave marks that were easily seen so it would be the brat's word against his. But the brat pissed him off._

 _He slugged the brat and he went down like a rock at the gun range. He picked him up and carried him to the ammo depot. He tossed him on the table then went to lock the door. It was after hours so no one would bother him in here. This is where he doled out all his punishments to the General's spoiled, weak, brat._

 _For his disrespect and defiance the brat would get the whipping of a lifetime when he woke up. He would make the brat scream and beg and promise to be better. He removed his belt. Then he pulled the brat's pants and boxers down to his knees in order to whip him bare-assed like he had done many, many times before._

 _Staring down at the exposed brat the urge he had quelled for so many years rose up in him. Trying to control his urge he whipped the brat several times with the belt. He found it only excited him more._

 _He spanked him bare handed several times. The heat radiating from the brat's buttocks sent a shiver of anticipation through him and his pants tented. He gave into the urge and rolled the brat to his side then tentatively touched him._

 _His body reacted and before he knew it he had striped them both of all clothing. He picked up the brat and sat on the ground holding the unconscious brat in his lap. He started kissing and touching the brat all over. He could not stop; the urge so compelling and arousal so strong as he rubbed the brat's body against him._

 _The brat woke to a semi-conscious state. The hit had left him thoroughly dazed. His eyes were unfocused and movements uncoordinated. In this state the brat was only slightly aware of what was occurring._ _But he was malleable and did as he was commanded. The feeling of the brat's little hands and mouth on him was beyond anything he had felt before._

 _He was not gentle as he explored and probed the brat with his hands and mouth. The brat's pleas for him to stop that it hurt only made him more aroused. He stroked the brat as he stroked himself. His release was so intense and he allowed it to spill all over the brat._

 _As he lay on his back spent holding the brat on top of him massaging the brat's crack he wondered what it would be like to take the brat all the way. To have his release inside. But his thoughts were interrupted when_ _he heard a noise outside._

 _Gerard dressed quickly. He was in the process of putting on the brat's boxers when he heard voices getting close. He picked up the rest of the brat's clothes and the brat and put him in one of the back ammo cages._

 _ **End of graphic memory  
**_ _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Gaston stopped the car and nudged his brother "We're here."

Pulled from his memory Gerard got out of the car and followed Gaston inside. "What are you making for dinner?" he asked.

Grabbing the bags of groceries he had purchased at the market Gaston answered "I'm making pan seared trout with lemon butter and almond sauce, fingerling potatoes and spinach. It's one of my best dishes."

As he waited for dinner Gerard allowed himself to go back to his memory.

Once he had dropped the brat in the back ammo cage he gripped the brat's arms hard and shook him. Then he yanked the brat's head up by the hair and he made eye contact. The brat's eyes were still unfocused and it was unlikely the brat would remember anything.

But to be safe he threatened the brat that if he told a single person about what happened he would kill him so slowly and painfully he would wish he was never born. He got a kick out of the brat's eyes as they widened in fear. Those eyes were so expressive. None of his boys since ever had such expressive eyes.

For good measure he added that what happened was all his fault. That the General would blame him for what happened because he was worthless and would never be good enough to be the son of a General. The last thing he told the brat was that if he told anyone they would shun him and he would always be alone in this world, no one would ever want him or care for him.

Then he punched the brat in the face in same location to knock him fully unconscious again. He knew it would be a long time before the brat woke up. Closing the door on the back ammo cage he policed the area of any evidence then headed out.

Sometimes he wished he had been able to go all the way with the brat. Too bad the brat ran away before he could take him fully. Part of him wondered if the brat even remembered. When the charges were brought against him he had been slightly surprised that sexual assault was not included. Either he had scared the brat sufficiently or he did not remember.

Gerard returned to his idea for revenge. It would feel good to bring the brat to heel once more. Showing him who was in charge. The brat was so clearly heterosexual; everything he had dug up on him indicated that.

He wondered if the brat would be able to live with the humiliation of being taken by a guy. This revenge would result in both making him suffer and killing him. But if he was lucky and did it right the killing would be in the form of suicide.

Gerard decided he would need to plan carefully. Given the brat's current state he had a time to consider how best to do it.

* * *

 _ **Outside Jules's Home - Logan**_

Logan's hacking skills were so good he had quickly found her address even though she was a police officer. The triple security levels afford officers were no match for him. It had surprised him that his petite ponytail was a cop. Probably just some glorified secretary. There is no way someone that tiny could take down bad guys.

She sure had a house full of people. Logan knew that they would leave at some point. He would have to watch for an opportunity. But then he realized it would be safer to come back after dark.

He turned away and started to walk the two blocks to his car. As he walked he thought that it was time to go get something to eat and buy supplies he would need to claim his newest ponytail.

Arriving at his car he popped the trunk as the desire to fondle his ponytails overcame him. He opened the mahogany box in his trunk and pulled out one ponytail. He rubbed the stands of hair between his thumb and index finger; soft and silky. He held it to his nose and inhaled the scent of jasmine. This was Carrie. She didn't struggle much.

The tightness in his pants made him quickly drop the ponytail back into the box. He needed to find a hotel room that would serve his purposes, both immediate and later when he had Jules.


	24. Memories Awaken & Welcome Home Soldier

**Memories Awaken & Welcome Home Soldier**

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Sam's Room**_

It was now sometime after one am and Jules headed down the stairs to Sam's room. She was tired but still on edge. Ed and Greg had headed home about seven fifteen. After watching a funny movie with Spike he had gone to bed at ten looking exhausted. Wordy had followed around ten thirty opting to sleep in the other spare room instead of Spike's room tonight.

Both Wordy and Jules were hoping Spike did not have nightmares tonight. But around eleven Spike had woken up screaming. It had taken her and Wordy the last two hours to calm Spike enough that he could fall back asleep. Wordy decided to spend the rest of the night in Spike's room and indicated Jules should go check on Sam.

The whole time Jules was grateful for having the baby monitor so she could keep tabs on Sam. He had been completely silent. Throughout the evening, until eleven, she had peeked in frequently and he appeared to be either sleeping of knocked out by the drugs. Either way she was glad he was finally getting the rest his body surely needed.

She swung by the kitchen and grabbed a glass of milk and several cookies. Sam had barely eaten today and had only taken a few bites of the dinner Sophie provided today. She might be able to coax him to at least eat these and drink some of the milk.

Balancing the plate of cookies on top of the glass of milk Jules opened his door, closed it behind her then locked. She walked slowly to the bed and set the cookies and milk on the nightstand. Looking down she noted that his eyes were closed. She unclipped the monitor from her waist and set it down then turned off the sending unit.

Listening to him breath for several moments she determined Sam was actually sleeping. She pulled the chair close to the bed and sat watching him sleep. Her mind wandered over all they had discussed today. It disturbed them all.

If Gerard was the one that abused Sam was he in contact with Gaston? Did Gaston know the effect his cologne was having on Sam? Why did the cologne affect Sam? Why were the cameras re-positioned? Was Ed onto something questioning a drill sergeant becoming a cook? The questions continued to mount with no apparent answers causing her head to throb.

Jules rubbed her temples to stave off the headache that was trying to take hold. She concentrated on sniper breathing and tried to clear her head of all that so she could just focus on Sam's current well-being. She noted he was now in REM sleep. She watched closely ready to wake him if he became too agitated. Right now he was still except for the eye movements.

Sam's nightmare started slow with brief flashes and glimpses.

 _A looming shadow, fear, pain, anger, humiliation. He was cowering from the looming shadow. Pain, pain, more pain, always pain. Flashes of a fist, then pain, a belt, then pain. It reeks, lime, cedar, musk, pain. Miss target, pain. Grouping not tight enough, pain. Not fast enough, pain. Move an inch, pain. It reeks, urine, pain, humiliation._

Jules became alert as Sam started twitching and whimpering. Oh god he was starting a nightmare. Spike now Sam, how much more could they take. Her heart broke for both men. She called his name trying to wake him before the nightmare took hold of him completely.

The nightmare gained momentum as single words and memory fragments assailed him.

 _Belt. Fear. Snap. Pain. Scream. Laughter. Fear. Begging. Fear. Worthless. Fear. Kicked. Pain. Punched. Pain. Shoved. Pain. Slapped. Pain. Alone. Fear. Always Pain and Fear._

Sam's thrashing increased and Jules became worried his movements would cause damage to his slowly healing wounds. She called his name louder. Jules knew she should not touch him but it hurt having to stand by doing nothing especially as he began to mumble words "please, no, stop, I'll be good, no." Jules hand hovered over his arm but she stopped short of touching him.

Flickers of unanswered pleading cries and thoughts fed the nightmare.

 _I'll do better. Please don't. No please stop. Not safe. Not safe. No one would believe. Too weak. Too small. No one cares. Left alone._

Jules begged loudly shouting the last three words "Please wake up Sam. Wake up. SAM WAKE UP!"

But Sam didn't wake. The nightmare had a firm grip and would not let go. Sam started moaning and he broke out in a sweat. He was drenched quickly as his head jerked violently back and forth and his hands fisted into the sheets.

Flashes of memories came up rapid fire from the deepest recesses of his mind.

 _Shadow coming. Fear._

 _Danger. Defenseless. Alone. No help. No help._

 _Run. Run. RUN NOW! Hot. Tired. Falling. Pain. Can't run. Pain. Can't walk. Fear._

 _Crawl. Fear. Crawl. Pain. Crawl. Alone. Crawl. Crawl. Crawl. Crawl._

 _Hide. Terrified. Hide. Be invisible. Alone. Fear. Hungry. Hide. Thirsty. Hide._

 _Found. FEAR. Can't talk. FEAR. Won't talk. FEAR._

 _Told. FEAR. Worthless. Pain. Unwanted. Alone. Not good enough._

 _Forget. Shut Down. Forget. Emotionless. Buried. Forget. Forget. Forget._ _Forget. Forget._

Knowing she shouldn't and it could be disastrous but not caring what happened to her Jules reached out and held Sam's head trying desperately to get him to calm down. She called his name over and over trying to break through begging him to wake up. Tears were streaming down her face.

Sam stilled. Jules released his head, her hands dropping to her sides.

The disjointed bursts of the nightmare congealed into a solid image. It slowed down and become crystal clear.

 _A man emerged from the looming shadow holding a belt. His face so clear now._

 _The smell of lime, musk and cedar wafted off of the man and permeated the air._

 _BETRAYED. He trusted him. He betrayed him. He ruled with fear and pain._

 _Be a Braddock. Be a General's son. Be strong, defy him. Stand up!_

 _Too small. Too weak. Need help. One Punch. Out cold._

 _PAIN and FEAR. Despicable acts perpetrated._

 _Run away. He's not here to save you. Run. Protect yourself. Run. RUN NOW!_

 _Fear drove him to run. Pain stopped him in his tracks. Nothing left to do but hide. Scared. Alone. So scared._

Sam jolted upright and screamed "I'M SCARED DADDY. DADDY HELP ME! DADDY COME HOME. HE HURT ME DADDY. SAVE ME. PROTECT ME. HELP ME. DAAADDDDDY … DAAADDDDDY … DAAADDDDDY!"

He collapsed back on the bed as the pain from movement racked his body. Sam's breaths came in irregular short pants, his heart beat rapidly and he shook uncontrollably. Sam's wild, panicked, tear filled eyes landed on Jules who was utterly stricken at the fear-filled, begging screams for his dad.

A weak and shaken voice begged "Jules I need you, please."

Jules scrambled onto the bed before he finished 'need' and pulled Sam's head into the crook of her neck as her arms wrapped securely around him. Ignoring his physical pain Sam wrapped his arms around Jules and held on for dear life as long dormant memories of being abused and molested came roaring back to life. He was besieged with emotions as he released the sobs of a terrified child.

Neither had any clue to how long they clung together. Jules said not a word. There were no words that could assuage the pain that was emanating from Sam. By his screams for his dad to save him as he woke from the nightmare and the intensity of his crying Jules surmised it had to be a deeply buried memory; one that would not have normally seen the light of day again. Whatever it was it was significant and had hurt him so deeply.

As his bawling diminished Sam found he could not let go of Jules. He needed her; her arms wrapped around him shielded and protected him right now. Memories he did not want came steamrolling into his mind without his consent. The fear prompted by that fucking scent now had a concrete reason. It was no longer nebulous. It was real, it was dark, it could crush him if he let go of Jules.

That bastard, Sergeant Dupont was always drenched in that scent. He had beaten the crap out of him over and over for months when he was a defenseless little boy. He had done things to him that his eleven year old mind did not fully comprehend but had hurt and terrified him. His adult mind knew exactly what the god damned pedophile had done to him.

As images of what Sergeant Dupont did to him in the ammo depot emerged nausea grew. He swallowed hard trying to quell it but finally whispered "I'm gonna be sick."

Jules was off the bed and back with a small trash can just in time. As Sam literally lost his cookies, retching up the little that was left in his stomach, Jules held him up. As the hurling subsided a bit she ran to the bathroom for a wet wash cloth and a glass of water.

When Sam finished she held the glass for him to take a sip since his hands were shaking too badly to hold it. He rinsed his mouth and spit it out. Sam collapsed onto the bed a shaking mass of pain.

Jules set the glass down and took the foul smelling trash can into the bathroom to dump and rinse. When she returned she set it close to the bed just in case. Then she picked up the cool washcloth and gently wiped the sweat from his face and neck.

She crawled back onto the bed and sat as she did last night. Sam forced his body to move and lay his head down in her lap again and closed his eyes tightly against the pain. Jules knew he was in a great deal of emotional and physical pain.

She knew beyond a doubt the emotional pain would take time to heal. She wished she could stop the physical pain but she also knew he would not be able to keep pain pills down right now. So she silently offered the only comfort she could at this time by simply caressing his face and running her fingers through his hair. Jules placed her other hand on his chest over his heart and ever so gently and slowly patted trying to convey to him that his heart was safe in her hands.

As the initial shock of remembering started to wear off, one word kept echoing in Sam's mind 'betrayal'. They irony of his current situation was not lost on him and Sam didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He had been betrayed as a child in the worst possible way. How he had betrayed his loved ones paled in comparison. But nonetheless it was all about betrayal.

Sam was silent a long time as he desperately tried to come to terms with that horrible memory. He realized that he was going to need help with this one. He had no clue how to begin to cope with it. In a small voice Sam whispered "Call Dawn please."

Jules eyes closed and she inhaled slowly and released it even slower. This was bad, very bad if he needed Dr. Tansy. What the hell was she going to do? Dawn could not come and help him right now. She had to tell him but she was unsure how he would react. "I would but she was in a car accident and unable to travel right now."

She felt him shudder and in the same unsure voice Sam asked "Phone?"

"I wish she could" Jules said and then gave him a short version of what happened. When she felt his body tense she tried to ease his distress "You know whatever it is you can talk to me. No matter what you say I'm not going to judge. Sam Braddock open your eyes and look at me."

Once Sam opened his eyes and connected with hers she said "Listen closely and comprehend."

Jules's words were infused with genuine affection and she spoke firmly, slowly and articulated every word "I. Am. Not. Going. Anywhere. I. Will. Not. Abandon. You. You. Do. Not. Have. To. Face. This. Alone."

Her soft sable brown eyes communicated her love for Sam. His blue eyes communicated a swirling mess of feelings. He slowly moved his hand and placed it over hers which was still over his heart "I trust you."

Tears fell from Jules eyes as a small smile graced her face. It was the first time he ever said those words to her. Those words meant as much as 'I love you' maybe even more. She knew that Sam trusted fewer people than he loved or cared about. Trust was his ultimate gift. At this moment she knew that they were irrevocably connected and were always meant to be more than just friends.

Jules whispered "I will never break your trust."

Sam whispered "I know."

They held each other's gaze for what seemed hours but in actuality was only minutes. Connected via eyes, they non verbally shared the depth of their love and trust as they bared their souls and intertwined their hearts.

Sam was the one to break the connection as his body's self-preservation kicked. Bone deep fatigue coupled with overwhelming physical pain finally pulled him down into sweet oblivion. As his body's consciousness was released from physical pain the lines of fear and pain that had been etched deeply on his face began to smooth.

Hands still clasped over his heart Jules wondered what she had done in her life to be gifted with such a man as Sam to care for and love. He was a strong and noble man with a fragile heart. He had known too much pain and loss in his life. She vowed to carefully hold and safeguard his heart.

Jules drifted into an uneasy, light sleep her body vigilant and ready to wake if Sam should need her.

Several hours later Sam could feel himself being dragged upward toward wakefulness. He wasn't ready to go yet. It was quiet, safe and free from pain and evil where he was. He did not have to remember horrible things but something was forcing him to consciousness; a sense of foreboding.

He didn't have to open his eyes to know that he lay in Jules lap in her downstairs bedroom. But something told him to open them now. The room was dark. He blinked to focus his eyes searching. The sense of danger increased as he scanned.

His eyes landed on the window. Sam saw a figure looking in. There was just enough light from the streetlight to illuminate the man's features. He stared committing them to memory.

Jules sensed Sam was awake with is slight movement of his head. She heard him whisper "Window. Man." She turned her head towards the window just as the figure scurried away not getting a good look at him. She was in two minds, part wanted to go check it out but part wanted to stay and protect Sam.

Sam made her choice for her "Go. Get Wordy."

Jules ran to Spike's room and woke Wordy. The two of them checked the house thoroughly and made sure all doors and windows were secured. When they finished they headed into Sam's room.

Wordy sat in the chair next to the bed. He ran a hand over his face rubbing his sleepy eyes. Jules paced. The adrenaline rush slowly drained from both of them.

Wordy looked to Sam "Did you get a good look at him?"

"Yes" he replied.

Jules stopped pacing "Did you recognize him?"

Sam thought the question was odd. Why would he recognize someone at Jules's window? His mind searched for an answer as he responded "No. Why? Should I?"

Looking at Sam and seeing the pain lines had reappeared and were deep she glanced at the clock and seeing that it was nearly five am. Crap, way passed time for pain meds for him. Sam had a stressful night and needed relief. He did not need anything else to worry about right now.

So Jules said "He's probably just some thief looking for an easy entry. Not happening here. Maybe later today you can describe him and we can make a report to the local division. But for now Sam, you're looking wiped out. You need your pain pills and more sleep."

Wordy looked between them. He could tell Jules was downplaying the incident. However, she was right about Sam. He looked like shit right now. If possible he looked more drained now than yesterday.

But then he noticed the ever present fear was greatly diminished and he had actually spoken to him. Jules was working her magic with him. It made him smile as he said "Jules's is right. While she gets your meds do you want to make a trip to the restroom?"

Sam thought crap moving was gonna hurt. He looked at Wordy and responded "Want to no. Need to yes."

As Jules went to get his medication, Wordy and Sam began the painful process of making it to the bathroom and back. Jules made him eat several soda crackers with the medication telling him he could not take it on an empty stomach. Sam was glad that the earlier nausea had retreated.

While he finished up the last cracker Jules sat in the chair and Wordy stood by the door. He had watched the change in Sam carefully. Having Jules close was good for Sam. He was starting to climb out of that hell hole he had been trapped in. Keeping her close to him would be important over the next few days.

Wordy gripped the door handle and as he started to close it he said "Jules although it was likely nothing. It would make me rest easier if you stayed with Sam and locked this door for a little added protection. With Spike's rough night and by the looks of Sam, his rough night, I think we should all sleep in a bit. I'll call and tell the Boss and Ed not to come over until mid-afternoon."

Standing and heading for the door she smiled "Sounds like a good plan Wordy. If you or Spike need anything just knock."

Wordy smiled back glancing between Sam and Jules "We won't. Don't worry about anything I'll keep Spike entertained. You take care of Sam. Divide and conquer as they say." He closed the door. She locked the door.

Jules turned to Sam. Their eyes met. They simultaneously said "He knows." There was something in Wordy's demeanor and eyes that gave them both the feeling their secret was safe with Wordy.

She headed for the chair.

Sam patted the bed next to him indicating he wanted her to sit next to him. "Can we talk?"

Jules sat on the bed crossed legged and facing him. He reached out his hand and grabbed hers needing a link. She smiled lightly. "What would like to talk about Sam?"

He sighed then looked her square in the eyes "Betrayal."

She wanted to jump right in and tell him he did not betray her. That he protected her. That she didn't hold him responsible in any way. That she wished he had said her name earlier and it might have stopped the beating. But she didn't. She sat still and quiet, her face calm and waited.

Feeling the pain pill starting to take the edge off he was glad he had taken only one. He needed to talk to Jules and did not want to wait until he woke from the drug induced sleep that would have come with taking the full dosage.

The quiet of the night, the low lighting and her hand in his created a safe environment for him. He took several breathes gathering his thoughts. This was not going to be easy but he felt safe with her.

Sam started in a soft but calm voice "I thought I failed you and I betrayed you when I said your name. I knew I had to do it. It was a choice between Spike's certain death and potential harm to you. I felt I betrayed the guys by sneaking behind their backs and breaking the rules. Again. When they see the tape we will suffer the consequences of our actions."

"I'm fully prepared to leave SRU for you. You are more important to me than the job. The thing I worried about was losing the guys over this mostly because I thought of it as betraying them. But I now know that even if I have to leave SRU I won't lose my family. You all have been there for me for years. I have been there for all of you too."

Jules inhaled and exhaled slowly, Sam's words were crushingly painful to hear. It took everything she had to sit quiet and let him continue. Jules bit her bottom lip to refrain from speaking. She wanted to tell him she was fully prepared to leave SRU for him. That he was more important that the job too. That she saw no betrayal on his part.

Sam bowed his head and rubbed his eyes. His other hand still held hers and he lightly squeezed needing to feel the physical connection to her. He was strengthened when she responded with a light squeeze. He looked up "Like I said, I thought I betrayed you and the guys."

His voice shook as he said "But I now know what real betrayal is. I may not have shared our relationship with the guys and broke some damned stupid rule but I did not betray them. I did not betray you. I did my best to protect you and would have taken your name to my grave if the bastard had not threatened Spike."

He was quiet a long time. Jules was beginning to wonder if he was done talking. But then he blew out a long hard breath and said with an edge to his voice "Do you remember the redheaded bitch?"

Jules heart dropped to her stomach "Yes" is all she answered. She wanted to yell how the hell could I forget that bitch and what she did to you?

He looked at her and there was pain so deep in his eyes "That's not the first time something like that has happened to me. I think in my weaken state that the odor triggered a memory I buried deep. When I was eleven I was …" he stopped unable to say the words.

His revelation knocked her hard as if she had been physically hit. All the breath left her in a whooshing sound. Stunned, dazed it took her a moment to remember to breathe in. As she inhaled his screams for his dad played over in her mind. Gerard Dupont. Oh god he had been sexually assaulted as a child.

Sam watched her closely waiting for rejection or to see pity in her eyes. Neither of which he expected to see in her eyes because of her own past. But if he did see it he would break into a million irreparable parts.

He waited.

Jules moved and knelt close then wrapped her arms behind his neck careful of his injured shoulder. Her lips almost touching his as she locked her eyes to his.

She waited.

Time ceased to have meaning as they stared into each other's eyes only a mere breathe from one another.

No words needed. Her action spoke volumes to him. He saw no pity only acceptance that something terrible and out of his control had happened to him. He saw love, compassion and the promise of comfort and security. Jules was waiting for him to decide. She was giving him control.

Jules felt Sam start to pull away but then he surprised her as he leaned in and kissed her. The kiss was sensual. It started slow and soft but gained passion without force. His arms wrapped around her and pulled her close as his tongue danced with hers. She felt his heart beat and it was in sync with hers. His kisses had the power to melt her. As the passion grew she met his heat with equal measure.

He pulled back but maintained contact with her lips as they both inhaled deeply having forgotten to breathe during the kiss. A low guttural "Jules" told her that Sam had returned. She had no doubt he still had a long way to go to heal completely but he had processed enough that he was back with them.

Jules gazed into his eyes and sighed "Welcome home soldier."


	25. Oracle's Six, Sam Helps Spike & Trust Wo

**Oracle's Six, Sam Helps Spike & Trust Wordy**

* * *

 _ **Outside Dupont's Apartment**_

A man clad in all black with what resembled, to most anyone happening to see him, a guitar case slung over his shoulder walked up to a large nondescript black van. It was dark and not a soul was around. That due to the fact it was the wee hours of the morning, 0217 to be exact. Oracle opened the side door, slipped in and closed the door.

General Braddock unslung his rifle case from his shoulder and sat in the only unoccupied chair of four chairs inside the van. He was weary and it showed in his face. But he would not allow fatigue to interfere with what had to be done. His icy steel blue eyes softened slightly as he look upon three men he had known for decades.

First he looked to retired Major Anthony Cardillo, code name Shade. He had known Shade since they went through Special Ops training together nearly forty years ago. The man was a master of stealth. He was on the rather short side, only five six and he was still fit. No retirement pudge had dared claim him.

He knew he could rely on Shade with no questions asked just as he would do if the situation was reversed. There was a deep bond that only develops when you put your life in the hands of another for years. It was unbreakable.

Next he looked to Chief Warrant Officer Theo Brock, code name Hound. Lastly to retired Master Corporal Royce Duffy, code named Shakespeare. Both looked at him with a hard glint similar to his own.

He knew the men felt a deep sense of guilt for not recognizing that Samuel was being abused for months while under their care. He had never blamed them but they had never forgiven themselves. Perhaps this would allow them to finally put that burden down because the fault lied with him alone. He had chosen Sergeant Dupont to care for his son.

The General started "Hound, Shade, Shakespeare we will only use code names from here on out. As you know this is an unauthorized op. No one but my most trusted security man knows I have left London. Not even my wife knows. If at all possible I want this to stay on the legal side. But I must tell you I will not hesitate to circumvent the law if Dupont goes after Phoenix."

The General stopped, letting that sink in for them and thinking the code name they had given Samuel was so appropriate. Samuel had endured so much. Most men he knew would have been burned and dead by the fires of hell Samuel had gone through. But his son somehow managed to rise from the ashes every time just like a Phoenix.

Braddock continued "I will not allow that bastard to harm Phoenix again. If you are not okay with that, walk away now, no hard feelings if you do."

Hound smiled and handed him a steaming cup of coffee "I'm staying. Strong and black, just the way you like it. You made good time Oracle. Didn't expect you for another hour."

He then sat back as an old image of a terrified little boy cowering in the corner of a burnt out building came to mind. If he could he would have snapped Dupont's neck back then. It would have only taken sixty-six pounds of pressure, easily done.

But he had been restrained, it took three MPs to hold him back when they found Dupont and arrested him. If only he had found him all alone. If only. Then they would not be here now and the man he greatly admired for his sense of morality among other things would not have to consider crossing the line.

The General returned a small smile as he accepted the coffee and took a sip. "Magic Mike is a great pilot."

Then Braddock looked to Shade. Shade stared at him with a look that communicated 'why even bother to ask, you know my answer'. He read the look understanding the meaning, grinned and nodded before his gaze landed on Shakespeare.

Shakespeare was a little unnerved by the comment. But he owed Sam. He had failed that little boy terribly. He had tried to make amends by being vigilant in his new life as a teacher at a prestigious boarding school. Over the years he had recognized the signs and saved nearly a dozen boys from abusive environments.

But nothing he did ever completely removed the guilt he felt for failing little Sam. He hoped it would end on the legal side but he would go the distance if necessary. He took a deep breathe "I'm in."

That settled Shade held up a small plastic bag with the remnants of a DVD "Destroyed as requested. But I have to tell you getting into SRU and finding this unseen was quite difficult. The officers that work there are no slackers. Almost got caught twice." He grinned "Once by the beautiful dispatcher. Not much gets passed that one. Gorgeous long dark hair and brown eyes, if only I were a much, much younger man."

The General grinned at his old friend, took another sip of coffee then asked "Where are we at? What have you found out about the twins?"

Dropping the bag into his pack Shade reported "As you suspected. It appears the twins swapped lives so to speak several years after Gerard's BCD. He'd never have gotten a job in security with it. His brother Gaston was just planning on starting culinary school when they swapped names."

"Have to say, that was a shock finding out he had a twin. What did you find out about the brother? Does he have the same violent behavior?" Braddock asked.

Shaking his head Shakespeare replied "Quite the contrary. Upstanding guy. Volunteers his skills at soup kitchens. Well-liked by everyone we contacted. Has one dismissed assault charge. Seems about ten years ago he came to the rescue of a woman about to be attacked. The man attacking her filed assault charges against him because he knocked the man out cold. The judge took one look at it and threw it out. It's like they are the exact opposites of each other except they look identical."

Oracle was taken back "Twins I knew, but Identical? That complicates things. I would not want to take out the wrong man. Are there any distinguishing differences? We have to be sure it is Gerard."

Shakespeare answered "Yes they have different hair styles. Other than that, no one would ever be able to tell them apart. Gerard still wears a military cut. Gaston has shoulder length hair."

Hound shook his head "There's one other way. When Gerard joined Phoenix and I for a few workouts I noticed that Gerard has a tattoo on his left bicep. It's a knife with the words 'Power equals Respect'. Back then I thought the knife was nice work but the words were so wrong."

"Sounds like he was an ass on a power trip" Shade stated.

General Braddock agreed but moved the discussion forward. "Phoenix is currently in no condition to defend himself if Dupont comes at him like I suspect he will. From what I've been told Phoenix cannot even walk without assistance right now. So what's the status? Has Dupont made any moves?"

Shade grimaced "Hound and Shakespeare followed him while I reconed his place today. I planted a few cameras and listening devices in his apartment. He has gotten close but we have no clue if he has any intentions of harm."

The General shook his head and stated firmly "Oh there is intention. He blamed Phoenix for the BCD. After it was over, on the courthouse steps he came up beside me and said 'that brat will pay one day for what's he's done'. If it hadn't been for my brothers holding me back Dupont would have been dead on those steps that day."

He took another sip of the necessary caffeine "We flew back to the desert base that evening. Phoenix was safe from him there. Over the next few years when no action took place the memory receded. That is until I got a call from Parker. Don't think Dupont would have ever actively sought him out. But given an opportunity like this one, where Phoenix is incapacitated. I wouldn't put it past Dupont to harm him."

Hound listened and then reported "We tailed him and watched as they sat outside Phoenix's location."

"They?" Braddock asked.

Shakespeare supplied "Yeah both of them. Seems Gaston is here. Background check shows he is between jobs. Also you should know we were not the first ones to contact his previous employer. The man said he got a call from someone from the SRU."

The General grinned. That was so like Samuel's team. They were trying to help. "So they were staking out her home. How long? Are they still there?" He didn't think so otherwise his men would not be in the van. At least one of them would have been at Jules home watching.

Hound continued "They were there from early morning and stayed until just before dinner. At one point they split up. I stayed with Gerard who stayed at the home. He reconned close to the home. I believe he located Phoenix who is currently in the first floor bedroom. He made no attempt to enter so I hung back and did not engage."

Shakespeare added "I tailed Gaston to a market. He was tailing the woman. He interrupted what appeared to be an attempted attack on her by another man in the parking lot. Got a picture of the man. Had Shade run it through facial recognition but got nothing. But something about the man set me off. When I followed Gaston back to her home the other man was still in the market parking lot."

Hound took up the report "When they returned they stayed until near dinner time. When they left we saw the other man hiding in some bushes. I stayed back as Shakespeare followed the twins back here. Shortly after they left I followed the other man two blocks to where he got into a car and left. Didn't have a car to follow so I lost him. Shakespeare is right. Something's not right about that man."

Shade added "Once they returned Gaston made dinner. They didn't speak much during dinner. However we learned Gerard had planned to return after dark. But he drank two bottles of wine then started in on Bourbon and passed out on the couch around 2200. His brother went to bed around 2300. It's been quiet since then."

Shakespeare looked at the General really not wanting to voice the next bit of information knowing the harm it might do but decided it had to be shared. "I found out some disturbing information as I dug into Gerard's past."

The General looked at Shakespeare "What?" he said flatly.

He nervously cracked his knuckles as he reported "Seems there is a trail of unsolved crimes against children that follows the dates and times in the cities that Gerard lived. Most involve sexual assault. Evidence is spotty at best. They never had enough to id a suspect. The boys involved never saw the face of their attacker. The boys were either too frightened or embarrassed to say anything or said they had been beaten but then didn't remember anything else. A few of them had toxicology reports indicating the boys had Rohypnol in their system. Many of the boys that eventually spoke about it indicated it occurred while they were in the hospital."

Aghast Braddock said "The hospital?"

Swallowing hard to keep the bile down Shakespeare said "Yes. Turns out to be the same hospital Gerard was working at each and every time. We all know he is capable even though it was only suspected and never proven. I think the unknown perpetrator might just be Gerard."

William Braddock deflated in his chair. More boys harmed at the hand of this monster. If only he could have proven what he believed happened to Samuel all those years ago. He might have been able to prevent harm to all these other boys.

Little had the power to rattle the General after all his years dealing with the evils of the world. But abusing children did. Pedophiles deserved slow painful deaths. He was quite capable of making that happen. He made a silent vow that the bastard would never hurt another child.

Seeing how this bit of research had affected his old friend but unsure exactly why Shade said "We rented a motel room. It's quiet now, Gerard is too hammered to do anything for at least a few more hours. How about you grab a few hours shut eye. I'll contact when they wake up. We all need a clear head for dealing with this now."

The General wanted to resist but he knew Shade was right. He needed to keep a clear head and being sleep deprived would not bode well for good decision making. His tired mind had already gone down several paths for just how to kill the bastard slowly. So he said "Okay."

Hound saw the same devastation and dangerous spark of hatred in the General as he had felt when he found out. The General should not be alone right now. It would be too easy to give into the temptation to simply off the man now. He knew the General had the skills to do it and not get caught too.

So he said "I'll go with you." Glancing at the others he said "They've had their beauty sleep already tonight." Trying to lighten the mood a little he added "Too bad it didn't do their looks any good." Shakespeare and Shade laughed lightly understanding what Hound was doing and agreed.

After the two exited the van and left Shakespeare turned to Shade "Should I have kept that from him?"

Shade sat quietly a while before answering. Although he refused to ask questions he knew about Sam being hit by Dupont because of the court martial and BCD. He closed his eyes and sank back into his chair as he realized why a cold murderous glint entered William's eyes. Jesus Christ, not Sam.

He straightened up in the chair and opened his eyes watching the monitor. He would have William's six; they were more than just friends, they were brothers in arms. He would not let William do something stupid that would destroy himself. They would get this guy lawfully. There was no statute of limitations on child abuse. Pedophiles didn't do well in prison once their crimes were known. This sick bastard would be sent to prison.

Turning to Shakespeare he answered "Maybe but if he found out you did not tell him he would have been more hurt. We just have to have Oracle's six on this. Understand?" Duffy nodded.

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Sam's Room**_

Sam woke slowly feeling a sense of calm and comfort he had not felt since the whole ordeal had begun. Part of that could be that he was curled on his side with his arm over Jules. He could hear her regular breathing. Sam glanced at the clock and noted it was nine thirty three.

He closed his eyes and let his mind wander. He knew he had work to do with Dr. Tansy. But because of Jules he knew he could wait for Dawn to heal before he broached the subject with her. Just knowing why he reacted to the scent gave him back the control he needed. And as bad as the memory was, it was just that, a memory of something that happened in his past.

Although as he thought about it, it was probably one reason he had raged so much when the redheaded bitch had assaulted him. He had some history to draw from on how to deal with this one. He smiled when he thought Jules walls would be safe from holes caused by his fists because of his long ago talk with Shel.

Then he ruminated more on betrayal. These memories helped him get his head straight on that account too. Based on all his prior work with Dawn he knew he had a tendency to blame himself. It was something he had to work hard to overcome. He was getting better but in intense situations where others were in jeopardy he still did it. But at least he recognized when he did it now.

His thoughts turned to Spike. He recalled Wordy saying he had a rough night. It could not have been easy for Spike to watch him get beaten. He knew from experience it was tough to be on that side of the fence and no be able to do anything to help a buddy.

Sam knew his friend well. Spike was probably blaming himself for not being able to help. Sam did let out a little chuckle as he thought that the ability to blame oneself must be a prerequisite to being in SRU, at least Team One. They were all so damned good at that.

Jules stirred and turned to look at him. He loved the sleepy muss of her hair and languid look in her eyes. Sam reached up slowly and threaded his fingers through her hair "Morning Beautiful."

She smiled at seeing his eyes free of fear "Morning Handsome." She lifted her head and gave him a soft kiss.

Sam's stomach rumbled loudly. Jules pulled back from the kiss and asked "Hungry?"

He winked and said "Yeah but it can wait. Your lips are all I need right now. They taste better than anything I could eat."

Jules obliged and returned to kissing him but keeping it light knowing he was definitely not up for more than that right now. She stopped after a bit when his stomach became more and more insistent.

Sitting up crossed leg on the bed Jules asked "What do you feel up to eating?"

Sam considered then suggested "Omelet?"

Jules got off the bed and headed for the door "You got it. Back in a bit."

Before she made it out the door Sam said "Jules, can you see if Wordy is up? I need a bit of help."

She knew exactly what he meant and said "I'll send him right in."

Twenty minutes later Sam was sitting on the edge of the bed with a folding table in front of him with a half-eaten omelet. He was taking a sip of coffee when Spike entered his room.

"Samtastic!" Spike said in a thrilled voice very happy to see Sam up and eating.

Sam smiled at Spike. Jules and Wordy left the room both knowing that Sam and Spike would need to talk and giving them the privacy to do so. Jules said "Just holler if either of you need anything." Then she closed the door.

Spike pulled the chair around so he would be facing Sam then sat down. Sam toyed with the omelet unable to eat more even though it was good. The silence was a bit awkward. Neither knew how to start.

Sam put the fork down and finally looked directly at Spike "Thank you for all you did. I probably wouldn't have made it without you."

Spike looked at him dumbfounded "You have no reason to thank me."

"Why not?" Sam asked.

"Because you don't" Spike answered.

"Why not?"

"Because you don't."

"Why not?"

"Because you don't."

"Why not?"

Spike rolled his eyes "You're sounding like a broken record."

Sam grinned "Why not?"

They both burst out laughing both recalling in the same instant a long ago conversation that was similar that ended up with them going out for drinks with Ed at the Goose and started them down the path to their deep friendship and brotherhood.

Sam put his arm around his chest as his ribs hurt from the laughter. Spike asked "Do you need your meds?"

"Not just yet. Wanted to talk with you first. You know they knock me out" Sam replied. Looking Spike over carefully Sam asked "How are you really doing?"

"I could ask you the same question" Spike said in form of an answer.

Sam nodded and said "Yeah you could but I asked first. Spill it." Watching the resistance on Spike's face Sam said grudgingly "You first, then we talk about me. Okay?"

Spike nodded "Been better. That was some nasty head games Vlad played with us. Did Connor share with you the history of the guy?"

Sam answered "Briefly but I was a little distracted."

That was an understatement if Spike ever heard one but he didn't call Sam out on it. "Seems the guy was nutso. Interviews with the guy that beat the crap out of you, his name is Zhang said Vlad had fixated on police partners and played some form of that damned betrayal game. He had no idea why the guy focused on police partners. Guess his reason went with him to his grave. We would have been his sixteenth pair."

Sam shifted a bit trying to make his leg more comfortable. "Any clue how he picked us?"

Nodding Spike answered "Yeah, remember about five months ago. You and me did that public relations gig together at the mall." Sam nodded remembering how much fun they had joking around that day. "Well apparently we caught the eye of Zhang who was here looking for Vlad's next victims."

Sam stared at him "Seriously?"

"Yeah" Spike answered.

"Hell, I'm gonna refuse to do public relation gigs from now on. I attract too damn many psychos bent on killing me at those things" Sam stated.

"Can't argue with you there buddy" Spike responded.

They were both quiet again for a bit then Sam asked "So nightmares?"

"Some" Spike answered.

"Bad?" Sam asked.

Spike nodded but did not elaborate. Sam just waited quietly maintaining eye contact. Sam finally broke the silence and said quietly "I'm still here. Thanks to you I'm alive."

Tears started to fall from Spike's eyes. Choked up he said "It was close. Too damned close. You have no idea how hard it was to watch what they did to you. Knowing I could do nothing. I sat there doing nothing."

"I know. I know" Sam said quietly.

Spike looked at him with anger "What do you know?"

Sam looked at him and ignored the anger. He knew Spike was hurting and it was displaced. He answered "I know what you are feeling. I've been there. The feeling of being helpless and do nothing to help."

Spike listened and racked his brain for any call they had been on where they had been helpless to do anything. He couldn't recall any. They always had something that they could do. It didn't always turn out the way they wanted but they always had something to do not just sit and watch. Spike asked "How, when?"

Wishing he had taken at least half his pain meds now Sam shifted again on the bed and stifled a hiss turning it into a cough so as to not worry Spike. With sadness he looked at Spike knowing that if Spike was thinking clearly he would remember. But Spike was still very much lost dealing with the after effects of their abduction.

He gently reminded Spike "Remember why I didn't want to go with you to the corn maze?"

Spike nodded. Sam continued "Not exactly the same but there was nothing I could do to help my unit. By the fifth day all I could do was stay hidden and stay alive. That was my first experience with not being able to help. Some years later I stood by unable to save three of the best men I've ever known."

"It happened so fast there was nothing I could do for Ripsaw, Buzz and Dutch as they were blown up and beheaded. Those guys had helped me when I needed it the most. Yet I could do nothing for them. I stood and watched them die. There were several other times but I won't share them. Suffice to say I know how you feel. How it feel to be powerless to do anything to change the course of events."

Spike closed his eyes. God he had forgotten about the damned corn maze. And now Sam shared another horrible time from his past and they were not the only ones either. How the hell did he do it? How did he live with the feelings?

He opened his eyes and looked to Sam "How? How do you …"

Sam knew what he was asking "How do you live with it?"

Spike nodded looking lost, confused and hurt.

Thinking a moment for what to say to help Spike, Sam ended up saying "You find a way; one that works for you. For me, I live and try to find the beauty in life because that is what they fought for. It honors them and their sacrifice if I live in the light rather than allow the dark to overtake me. I'm not saying it's easy. It's hard sometimes. Hell, sometimes it is damned near impossible. But I've found friends and family help a lot."

Sam toyed with the coffee cup as he decided whether to bring up one of the lowest points of his life. He inhaled slowly and released it then said "Remember after the Langley Towers call and you all helped me when I was too tired and could not find the beauty anymore." He waited to get acknowledgement that Spike remembered, not that he ever expected them to forget.

Spike was surprised Sam was bringing up his suicide attempt. That night had been awful. He was just staring at Sam until he realized Sam was waiting for him to indicate he remembered. Spike nodded slightly.

Sam gave him a sad smile "I still remember it like it happened yesterday. I remember what you all said to me. I remember what you told me. You said 'You don't have to fight alone. We are here for you'. Well buddy the same goes for you. You do not need to fight this alone. We are here for you. Whatever you need, for however long you need, we are here for you."

Motioning for Spike to sit next to him Sam waited until Spike sat on the bed. He reached up and put his uninjured arm around his shoulder. "And I am here for you because in that basement …"

Sam's voice hitched and he started again "… in that basement you did what was necessary for both of us to survive. I know it was hard to just watch. Been on both sides of it, I know. It's always harder to watch. Physical pain fades a lot faster than emotional pain."

Sam took a steadying breath. Yeah he knew that all too well. Emotional pain was a bitch to deal with and took much longer to heal. He grinned at Spike "I meant it when I said thank you for all you did."

Spike saw the sincerity in his brother's eyes and heard it in his words. Sam did not blame him in the least and felt he had been the one to suffer more. Softly Spike said "Thanks. Right back at ya. I might ask you for Dr. Tansy's number."

Sam nodded "She good. When she's feeling better maybe we meet with her together."

"Sounds like a plan" Spike said then he hugged Sam careful not to hurt his ribs or shoulder. When he released him, Spike stood and asked "Need help into bed?"

Sam shook his head "Nah, would prefer to get a change of location for a bit. If we can talk Jules into letting me sit on the couch we could watch a movie. Your choice."

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Family Room**_

Ten minutes later Sam was ensconced on the couch with his injured leg supported on couch leaving room for only one other. Jules had insisted he take his pain pills after hearing him cuss up a storm when he bumped his thigh on a table as Wordy helped him to the couch. Spike put in one of the movies he had left over at Jules from their last movie night.

Jules made them all popcorn and Wordy brought out sodas. The four of them were seated with Spike and Sam on the couch and Jules and Wordy in the chairs. Spike looked at Jules and said innocently "Jules will you switch with me. That chair is more comfortable." She looked at him oddly and he just gave her an innocent smile. She switched with him secretly happy to be closer to Sam.

As the movie played Sam made a comment about it being lame. Wordy looked at him and said "Would you prefer to read? I saw a copy of Hunt for Red October in Jules book case." Sam and Jules looked at each other reiterating 'he knows' in their looks. Then they looked at Wordy. He just smiled and winked then shrugged his shoulders at them.

Spike became aware of the tension between the three. He looked between Sam and Jules on the couch and Wordy. Crap did he just do something to give it away to Wordy. Crap. Wait, Hunt for Red October? Book? No he didn't do anything wrong. Wordy was just …. Just what? He thought as he saw Sam's gaze not move from Wordy. Something was definitely up. He waited.

Sam thought Christ their secret relationship was becoming the worst kept secret of Team One. He decided to trust Wordy now since they would all know once they watched the tapes anyhow. Sam had no clue they had already watched them or that the audio had been deleted. He maintained eye contact with Wordy as he asked "How do you feel about it?"

Jules inhaled sharply at Sam's question. Crap in all they had dealt with there hadn't been time to tell Sam what Connor did to the tape. She waited to hear Wordy's response.

Wordy realized that Sam would not ask him that question unless Spike was already aware. Briefly he wondered how Spike knew. But then he thought Spike was best friends with both Sam and Jules. It would have been hard for them to conceal it from Spike. But he decided to be deliberately obtuse to see how they would react. He said "You can read if you want. No need to watch the movie."

Jules threw a pillow at Wordy hitting him square in the face. Laughing Wordy said "Geez Jules, any harder and you would have broken my nose." Looking between the two he relented and said "I think it's great. You two are perfect together. Shel thinks so too. We can keep a secret."

Wordy knew all about keeping secrets. He had one of his own. His was not happy like theirs but both secrets put them at risk of losing their spots on Team One. So he would keep quiet on their secret. He looked at Jules "Out of curiosity how long have you two been back together?"

Sam answered "Since Toth."

Wordy said "You two are damned good at concealing it. I would never have guessed."

Spike said "No way! That's like four months. No way that long."

Jules and Sam just smiled and Jules said "Yeah that long." Spike was flabbergasted but then he started in on all the ways he should have known they were a couple. Sam listened as Spike became animated ignoring the movie completely.

However, in very short order the pain meds kicked in and Sam found himself unable to keep his eyes open. He felt more relaxed after talking with Spike and finding out Wordy accepted their relationship and would keep it secret. His eyes became heavier each time he blinked them open until he finally nodded off to sleep.

Wordy was the first to notice Sam nodded off and said "Shhh Spike, Sam's sleeping."

They quieted down and watched the movie. A short time later Wordy reached over and tapped Jules shoulder and pointed to Spike. Spike had joined Sam in slumber-land. Jules smiled and laid her head on the arm of the couch and was asleep in minutes too.

Wordy kicked back and watched the movie. Spike sure had weird tastes in movies but it was a nice break from all the girly movies he watched at home. When the movie ended Wordy rose and turned off the TV. He surveyed the three sleeping figures. It was the first time he felt that things would be alright. His family was healing.

He was glad to see Jules resting too. She had not been following doctor's orders. She needed to rest more. But trying to tell her that while Sam was distressed had been like talking to a wall. She could be so stubborn sometimes.

It had been so good to see Sam being more like himself without that fear. He had overheard a bit of what Sam told Spike in the bedroom. Of them all, only Sam had first-hand experience in how to recover from an ordeal like they experienced. He was very glad Sam was helping Spike deal with it.

He was also pleased and honored that Sam and Jules trusted him enough to come clean with him. The shocked look on Spike's face was priceless when Sam said they had been a couple since Toth. But it was nothing compared to the look when Jules told him of their previous time.

Wordy headed for the back porch to call Shel. At the back door he stopped. He could have sworn he saw a movement out back. He waited several minutes scanning the yard. He decided to stay inside. He headed for the family room and gently woke Jules.

She rubbed her eyes as Wordy said "Sorry to wake you Jules but I think the prowler was back again. I'm going to call Greg and Ed. Where do you keep your off-duty weapon?"

The last statement woke her completely "Why do you ask that?"

Wordy answered "Coming around in the cover of night is one thing. Coming back, especially during daylight when the house is clearly occupied is another. I would rather be prepared. Might be a good time to think about having Spike install a security system like he did years ago for Ed and me."

Jules nodded "I'll go get my gun. Have Sarge arrange for a sketch artist to come over. Sam said he got a good look at him last night."

Wordy sat down to make the calls as Jules headed to her room to get her off-duty weapon. As she headed upstairs she thought, can't Team One just get one little break?


	26. Team Connor, Best Friend & More Security

**Team Connor, Best Friend & More Security**

* * *

 _ **Courtyard Toronto Downtown Hotel – Conference Room**_

Connor was pleased as punch. Dinner last night had been quite unexpected. He had arranged for a conference room in the hotel he was staying at this afternoon to meet with his two new team members. Late night wheeling and dealing got Pat squared transferred to his team effective today.

He looked up and as Patrick and Patricia entered. He stood and shook both their hands "Welcome to the team. Can't tell you how pleased I am to have you two joining me." He sat and motioned for them to sit.

Patricia said "Thank you for the opportunity."

Patrick pulled out a chair then sat "I second my wife. I'm looking forward to working with you."

Connor smiled "Well let's get started. I've booked you a room here for the next week, thought it would be better to maintain my base in Toronto instead of moving up to Ottawa. At least until we determine if we need to change locations. Once we've wrapped this case we can discuss relocation details."

Smiling Patricia stated "Sounds peachy to me. What is the case we are looking at?"

Connor opened the file "A case dubbed the Ponytail Killer. He has a type and sticks to it. He targets petite brunettes, between five foot and five foot four inches tall. The women stalked typically wear their mid length hair in ponytails. After he rapes and murders them he cuts off the ponytail and we assume he takes them as some sort of trophy."

"One sick man" Patricia commented.

"Do we have any leads besides his MO and crimes scene photos?" Patrick asked.

Connor pulled out a sheet of paper "We have one. There was a witness to the New York case. The details are a bit dodgy. The witness was a man well into his cups. He had passed out near an alley. He woke a bit when he heard a woman scream for help."

"He claims he saw a giant. He gave some details and they did a partial sketch. But given the man's inebriated state it is unreliable. It was lacking enough details to run it through any facial recognition databases."

"So our first case is mission impossible. Find a giant. I love the challenge" Patrick laughed.

Patricia smiled "Any chance we can go interview the man and check out the crime scene? Maybe the local investigators missed something that we will be able to use."

Connor liked their attitude, great fit. "Contact Kelly and have her book your flights. Meanwhile, tomorrow I'll head over to Brampton and check out the crime scene there. Like you said, the local PD may have missed something. It would be nice if we could find something to identify the man."

The three of them sifted through all the crime scene information for the remainder of the afternoon. They discussed all the evidence details, victims, locations, time of day, etc. from each case trying to build a profile for the killer. They finished around six pm and had a quick dinner together. Connor headed up to his room feeling exceedingly glad that those two joined his team, they had skills.

Pat squared headed off to catch a flight to Rochester, New York. They spent the cab ride bantering back and forth about how lucky they were. They were now part of Team Connor as they dubbed it. The future looked bright for them.

* * *

 _ **Dupont's Apartment**_

Gaston woke up around ten am. He puttered around the apartment wondering when Gerard would wake. He had gotten snot slinging drunk last night. He hated when his brother did that. But he was glad too. When he passed out it meant he was not drug back to that house to spy on the occupants.

His initial little embryo of a bad feeling had grown into an elephant. It sat heavily on his chest and he could hardly breathe now thinking about the possibilities. He didn't know exactly what his brother intended but he could guess. You don't stakeout and spy on someone unless you mean to do them harm.

Gaston knew had to get out of here and fast. He did not want to be party to any of this. If he left Gerard probably wouldn't act on it alone because the guy was now a cop.

He went to Gerard's room and slowly opened the door. He was still out but he knew he would be up soon. He headed to the bathroom, undressed then turned on the shower and the radio in the room. He pulled his phone out of his pants pocket and called his best friend Marco. "Hey buddy I need your help. In a bit of a situation with my brother."

 _["Gaston how can I help? Marco asked. What he really wanted to say was Gaston you idiot I told you not to visit him. His best friend since high school was always being suckered into doing shit for his controlling brother.]_

"Can you call back in like about thirty minutes? I need an out so I can leave early afternoon" Gaston whispered.

 _[Marco sighed "Okay. I'll think of something. Wish you would have just come directly to Montreal and skipped seeing your brother. You do know the definition of insanity don't you?"]_

Gaston rolled his eyes, knowing they had this discussion many times in the past. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result. I get it. I do. But he is my brother. I keep hoping things would change. But this time, well this time is the last. I'm really scared. I have to get out of here."

 _["Then just leave. You don't need to give a reason. Just grab you gear and leave. Come crash at my place" Marco told him.]_

"You know how he is. How he can manipulate me. Just please call" Gaston pleaded. He heard Gerard moving around. "Gotta go, he is up. Call please." Gaston hung up and shoved his phone in his pocket. He jumped in the shower and quickly washed.

Twenty-five minutes later Gaston was in the kitchen making them lunch. Gerard was still hung over and his mood was surly. Luckily he didn't seem to be in a mood to talk. He was at the stove stirring the soup when his phone rang.

His hands shook a bit as he pulled it out and answered "Gerard here. Hang on a second while I put you on speaker phone. Hands full making lunch." Gaston put the phone on speaker for the sole purpose of Gerard being able to overhear.

 _[Marco was still pissed after nearly twenty years that his friend agreed to swap names with his good for nothing brother. He tried to tell him that a General's son, especially one with the reputation of General Braddock had, would not make up allegations of child abuse. His brother was guilty, deserved to be in prison and got off light with only a BCD._

 _But Gaston gave his brother the benefit of doubt. So he played along even though it rankled him "Hey Gerard. Glad I caught you man. I'm in a real bind here."]_

Gaston asked "What's up?" He glanced at his brother to gauge if he was paying attention. He was.

 _["I hate to ask but I have no other choice. My chef, the one you were replacing decided to up and leave today. Damn man couldn't stay for the two week notice he gave me. I need you man. I got some important clients coming in tonight._

 _I checked flights and I can book you on one that leaves in an hour. I know you were visiting your brother and all. But man I don't know what else to do. The sous chef is new and cannot handle it. My business will go down the tubes if you can't make it. Please say yes. I'll owe you big time man" Macro said laying it on thick.]_

Gaston assumed the appropriately upset face and said "Man I'd love to help but …" He looked to Gerard hoping to elicit the expected reaction.

In some sick way his brother grouped people as either leaders or followers. Gerard considered himself as a leader and as such subject to no one else's power. But followers were subject to his power and anyone who could be considered a leader. Gaston knew in his brother's mind he was considered a follower.

Followers were expected to do exactly as they were told by a leader no questions asked. So with Marco being Gaston's new boss it would mean that Gaston should jump and do whatever Marco commanded. He was glad Marco knew just exactly which buttons of Gerard's to push to help him.

Gerard looked at Gaston disgusted at his weakling brother. He should have said yes immediately and not wavered. "He's your superior. You damn well better say yes. How would it look starting out your job leaving him hanging?"

Gaston dropped his head; mostly to hide the quick relieved smile that crossed his face briefly "Yes I can make it Sir." He threw in that 'sir' to seal it in his brother's mind. "Text me the flight details. I'll pack as soon as we hang up and be on my way to the airport."

 _["Great. Come directly to the restaurant when you get off the plane. We might just have enough time to prepare for dinner service" Marco responded.]_

Hanging up the phone Gaston looked at his brother "Sorry. I was hoping for a longer visit." He began to serve up the soup he made for lunch.

"Don't say sorry. You know that is a sign of weakness" Gerard answered as he picked up a spoon to dig into the soup. "Go pack. I'll drive you to the airport."

There was a knock at the door. Gaston answered. God he loved his best friend. He called over his shoulder to his brother "No need. My boss called a cab. They are already here." To the cabbie he said "Give me two minutes." Gaston raced to throw his few personal items in his back pack.

He stopped in the kitchen. He stood in front of his brother "Good visit. Maybe next one will be longer. See ya around." His brother just stared at him offering no goodbye. He stuck out his hand to shake. Gerard reluctantly shook his hand.

As Gaston closed the front door he had a feeling this was the last time he would see his brother. Sadly, there was a sense of relief in that.

Gerard sat finishing the soup. What the hell was he going to do now? He had counted on having Gaston's help in getting the brat. He slammed his fist on the table several times as anger coursed through him.

He would have to think of another plan. He would have to wait for a ripe opportunity. He did not need to rush into this. He would find a way. Maybe he could taunt the brat a while before taking him. He recalled the tapes and how fearful he had reacted to his cologne.

Gerard smiled. Yeah he could taunt him and his weapon would be an odor. Now how to go about doing that? He needed to think. Gerard got up and served up another bowl of soup. It was good. His brother was a weakling but he was a damned good cook.

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Family Room**_

Greg and Ed had arrived at four pm. Ed and he walked into the family room and saw Sam sprawled out on the couch sound asleep and smiled. It was a good sign he was up and out of his room even if he spent almost the entire day sleeping there. Jules told them he woke for a light lunch too, another good sign.

Spike popped in from the kitchen all chipper "Ed did you get the wiring I requested?"

"Right here" Ed answered holding up a bag. He was all for setting up security cameras in Jules home. He felt it long over do. "Just show me what you need me to do" Ed offered.

Greg held another bag "I got the cameras right here too."

"Come in the kitchen. We're still planning the best locations to install them to give the best coverage" Spike informed them.

As they headed into the kitchen Jules was heading to the family room with water and meds for Sam. Both Greg and Ed gave her a quick hug as they passed. Greg whispered to her "You've done good with Sam. Keep it up."

Jules smiled, she planned to do just exactly that.


	27. Security, Shower, Debrief, Sketch &Scent

**Security, Shower, Debrief, Sketch & Scent**

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Family Room**_

Jules gently woke Sam up "Sam time for meds."

Sam rubbed his eyes and yawned. He turned his head to find Jules sitting on the coffee table in front of the couch. He was a bit foggy as he smiled at Jules thinking he had woken from a nap on a lazy day off with Jules. One shift on the couch woke him up to reality as pain shot down his leg. He panted a moment as she looked on concerned. He finally managed "Hey."

"Hey sleepyhead. Have a good nap?" Jules asked in a calm and reassuring voice. She hated that look of pain that lanced across his face and the short quick breaths he took for several moments.

He nodded and lifted his head from the couch and looked around the room. Spike and Wordy were not there. He heard Ed's and Greg's voices along with Wordy's and Spike's in the kitchen. "Movie over?" he queried trying to discern how much time had passed sleeping on the couch.

Chuckling Jules responded "Yeah. It's been over for quite some time. It's just after four pm. Time for meds."

Sam blinked. Wow, he had slept the entire day away. "I've been asleep all day and you woke me up to give me meds that will put me back to sleep?"

"Yeah, pretty much" Jules replied and held out her hand that contained the pain meds.

Distracted a moment Sam rubbed his jaw gently trying to scratch the itches. He didn't mind a day or two of stubble but this was going on near two weeks growth and it itched. He wanted to shave. He wanted to shower too but he knew that wasn't gonna happen anytime soon. It wasn't happening until the stitches came out and he could stand by himself. He felt grubby.

Sam came back to the topic, pain pills. He hurt but he had just slept the entire day and did not want to be knocked out again just yet. So he shook his head and lied "Nah. Don't need them."

Jules watched his distracted behavior. She was getting much better at reading him. He was in pain and she knew it. Jules looked at him sternly and said in a tone that brooked no defiance "Like hell you don't. I heard your breathing. Braddock, you will take your pain medication as the doctor ordered."

He was saved from coming up with a defiant retort when Greg entered the room "Sam. I'm so glad to see you wake. How are you feeling?"

Sam could hear the slight huff from Jules at the interruption. He turned to Greg, smiled and answered "Feeling a lot better Boss." Seizing an opportunity to distance himself from the dreaded pain pills he asked "What are you guys up to in the kitchen?"

"Planning out the new security system for Jules home. Spike's supervising and Wordy, Ed, Jules and I are his installation lackeys" Greg informed him.

"Finally. I've been hounding Jules to install a system for quite some time. There are too many easy access points. The large tree gives easy access to her bedroom window. The wonky window latch in the basement can be jimmied quickly. Not to mention the French doors onto the patio, one credit card away from access." Sam stopped, tensed his muscles and wondered how that sounded.

Crap, was that too personal or too much information for just a teammate or friend to know? He watched Greg and relaxed slightly when it seemed he thought nothing of it. But he caught the little glare from Jules. He'd just inadvertently named all the ways he had snuck into her house when she had dared him to try. If he were not currently injured he was sure he'd just said enough to earn a punch to the arm.

Sam recalled the night a month or so ago that he had broken into her house multiple times. He was trying to convince her she needed more security. But she said her house was secure enough. Jules had been pissed at his continued insistence that she needed a security system to protect herself that she dared him to break in. He decided to show her just how easy it would be for an attacker to get in and get the drop on her.

That night he ended up with several bruises, some of them to his pride. Jules proceeded to show him each time he succeeded in entering just how effective she was at taking someone down. She basically handed him his ass several times that night. She certainly had a few tricks up her sleeve when it came to hand to hand combat. In the end he had backed off the argument and deferred, her house, her decision.

A small grin lit his face as he recalled the makeup sex had been awesome that night. Then Sam wondered what had happened to make her change her mind. He was glad but it was curious.

He realized that Sarge was looking at him oddly now, probably his damned little grin. So he tried to cover with something somewhat normal. He opted to cock his head to the side and smirk "Just sayin Jules."

Geez he is about to blow it. Sarge didn't seem fazed by Sam's words. But then that damned sexy grin spread on his face and the bedroom look entered his eyes. She knew exactly what he was recalling. His face was like an open book right now.

What was he thinking? She felt the pain pills in her hand and instantly realized. He was off kilter and the pain killers muddled his thinking processes sometimes. Jules followed his lead and turned it into something akin to their normal bantering. She cocked her head right back and held out the pills "Just sayin Braddock."

He knew he could not get away from taking at least one. Sam hoped she would not force both on him. He picked up one of the pain pills and popped it into his mouth then took the water and washed it down "Compromise?"

"Compromise. For now. If you need it later you will tell me. Understood?" Jules stated.

Sam nodded "Understood." Then curiosity won out and he asked "Why'd you decide to install a system now?"

She looked at him "Do you recall this morning?"

His head was a little fuzzy, this morning? Then he recalled the man staring at them from outside "Oh right, the guy in the window. What's going on? Something I should be aware of? Are there accomplices of Vlad's still loose or something?"

Greg and Jules shared a look. Neither wanted to but knew they had to tell him about Dupont and the cologne even though it was just the guy's twin brother. Greg said "I think now that you are back with us so to speak it's time to have our debriefing. We need to bring you up to speed on some things too."

Jules said "We should have dinner first." Jules thought that Sam might not feel like eating after learning the details the team had found out and he needed to eat. "How about I go grab some Chinese takeout for us all?"

Wordy walked into the room just then and said "No need. Gina just called Spike and said she will be running over dinner from Spike's mom for us tonight. She'll be here in about an hour."

Sam quietly wondered if it would be better to eat before or after debrief. His stomach felt a little on the off and rehashing the details of the abduction in debrief would be tough. Also he wasn't too sure what to tell the guys about the past few days. They were bound to be curious about his behavior. He owed them some explanation.

Mostly he wanted to hide the fact he had been molested as a child. He feared it would change their perception of him and he did not want to be seen as a victim. He still recalled the looks they gave him after the redheaded bitch incident. He saw when they didn't notice he saw them looking. He knew they cared and didn't mean anything by the looks but it was still humiliating. To have to endure those looks and more again would be too much right now. It was still to raw.

He knew that Jules would never rat him out. No matter how much she felt it would help him to talk about it she would never insist. Perhaps he could just explain the fear was the result of the beatings Sergeant Dupont had given him. He didn't have to reveal the darker side of it.

Sergeant Dupont was a large man and he was just a small boy back then. He was powerless to stop him. He could tell them without giving too many details. They would believe that a corporal punishment at the hand of someone much bigger than him could cause the type of fear he experienced the past few day.

Yeah that's what he would do. No need to share the worst part. He could keep that hidden and rebury it. Maybe when Dawn was better he could work through it but for now it had to be locked away. He briefly wondered what ever happened to his tormentor. But then he shoved that thought away. He'd never see the man again.

Jules noticed that Sam was brooding. She had a pretty good idea what he was thinking about. It was too soon for him to talk about that memory that had surfaced in the wee hours of the morning. Sam did not know that they all knew something had happened even if they had few details. They would have to go careful with Sam in debrief. She needed to talk to the Boss before they started.

She knew Sam needed something to take his mind off of it for at least a short while. He needed something to make him feel more in control and more normal. The perfect solution came to her. It would make him feel a bit better and relax him too.

Jules asked "You feel up to taking a shower before we debrief and have dinner?"

Sam groaned "God I wish. I feel gross." He ran his fingers through his greasy feeling hair and he could imagine the feel of hot water loosening his tense muscles. "Jules, it's not nice to tease me. You know there is no way I can stand for one yet. And the stitches; not allowed to get those wet, that much I know."

"Oh really now" she smiled.

He quirked his eyebrow up "Really?"

Jules looked to Wordy "Can you assist Sam into the room while I go set things up."

She turned back to Sam "Borrowed one of those plastic shower chairs. Doctor said so long as you dry your stitches well afterwards he would be fine with it. Especially, since they will probably remove them tomorrow at your checkup appointment."

Sam gave her a WOW smile. God he loved this woman. She knew exactly what he needed. Jules headed off to set things up. Greg and Wordy helped Sam to stand. Then Wordy helped him slowly make it to the bathroom.

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Kitchen**_

While Sam was in the shower Jules took the opportunity to speak with the guys. When Wordy joined them and said Sam was all situated and the shower was on Jules said "In debrief we need to go light on him. Do not press him for details."

"Why" asked Ed seeing there was something important Jules needed them to know.

Jules looked at them with concern clearly showing on her face "He had a nightmare last night. It was pretty bad. He remembered the odor. It is related to his childhood. Sarge, I'm fairly certain it was a repressed memory and that it is related to what the General shared with you. We must tread very lightly."

Greg had only shared a framework of what the General had told him. He nodded to Jules with a sad smile "We will. But I think we need to tell him what we found out about Mr. Dupont, that he is the twin of the Sergeant. If the odor is a trigger for him he needs to know. Especially, since he may encounter the smell again because his physical therapy will be at the hospital."

Wordy asked "Jules how do you think he is handling the memory? I mean he is talking and seems normal today."

"He wanted to talk to Dawn. I think he is doing the best he can with it right now. That's why we cannot push" Jules responded.

Spike sat quietly thinking. Sam did it again. He just realized that this morning they had focused on him alone. Sam helped him. Sam had effectively deflected the attention away from himself. He sighed. Those damned masks Sam wore. He had used one with him today and he didn't even notice.

Greg put his hand on Spike's shoulder and squeezed "What is it Spike?"

"Masks" he replied in a defeated tone.

They all nodded. They knew exactly what Spike meant by the one word. It would indeed take a light touch with Sam right now. Jules looked at them all "We need to keep it as normal as possible."

Ed added "He still needs help moving about. That's got to piss him off."

Jules smiled. They did know Sam well now. "Just help him without saying anything or asking how he is doing. We all know we won't get a straight answer anyway. The more mechanical and less emotional we are about helping the more inclined he will be to accept our help."

Wordy glanced at Jules. She was good for Sam. He figured those memories would be difficult for Sam to process. His childhood was all mixed up with misconceptions. He wondered just how traumatic of a memory it was if it was repressed as Jules thought and Sam had asked for Dawn. Not for the first time he cursed the bad timing and wished Dawn had not be hurt and was available to help Sam. He would tread lightly like Jules asked but would be close by if Sam reached out for help again.

Discussion moved back to the layout of the security cameras. They almost had a design. They would finish up the plans tonight and tomorrow they would begin installation. After dinner and debrief tonight he would run home to tuck in the girls and he would get his off-duty weapon. Something was off and he decided to listen to his gut.

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Sam's Bathroom**_

When they arrived at the bathroom Wordy helped maneuvered him to the shower chair then left the room closing the door. Sam saw that Jules had placed everything he would need within reach. He saw the fresh towels and washcloths and change of clothes. He saw his favorite shampoo and body wash. He even saw his shaving kit on the sink counter. He repeated to himself again, god I love that woman.

He struggled with his clothes but managed to undress by himself without passing out from pain. The pain pill was starting to kick in and taking the edge off. He was glad he didn't take both otherwise he would be out cold rather than getting a much desired shower.

Again Sam was glad Jules had kept the assistive devices in this bathroom. He turned on the water and adjusted the temperature. The hand held shower wand would make it easier. He adjusted the wand in its holder so that the hot water coursed over his back massaging his taut muscles. Ah a little slice of heaven.

Sam took extra-long in the shower letting the warm water sooth him. He washed his hair twice until it was squeaky clean and rid of the greasy grimy feeling he hated. When he was done he grabbed the towel Jules set out and dried off. He took extra care making sure the wounds were dried properly. He pulled himself to a standing position and dried the shower chair.

Sitting back down he managed to get his boxers on. No small feat seeing as though he had difficultly bending over. Sam sat a moment regaining his strength and letting the pain subside. Pain notwithstanding he was feeling less of a burden by being able to do things for himself. It wore him out but being independent always made him feel better.

He noticed that while he had showered someone had popped in and placed a stool at the sink area. He could hold the rails and hobble to it. He would be able to shave himself. He knew who had thought of that, god he loved that woman.

It took a bit longer to shave than usual because using his left hand meant moving his injured shoulder. He took it slow and careful not wanting to add any new cuts to his face. When he finished shaving the image that greeted him in the mirror was a bit grotesque. The split lip had mostly healed. But the bruising that covered most of his face was at the very ugly stage of blue, purple, green and yellow.

He gently touched the small area on the side of his head where his hair had been shaved off to accommodate four stitches. That must be from the two by four he thought. He then looked at his wrists and ankles. He wondered if the cuts from the plastic ties would leave scars. They had been deep but not deep enough to require stitches. He surveyed his chest in the mirror, same ugly bruising as his face. He assumed his back looked much the same.

Next he traced the taser punctures that were almost healed. Christ that had hurt. He could recall the feeling of electricity surging through him. He shuddered slightly at the recollection.

In the mirror he stared at the stitches that closed the bullet wound in his shoulder. He had been lucky. A little bit either way could have meant serious damage that would have ended his career. As it was it would take a bit of time to rehab but at least it was doable.

Sam looked down at the wound in his thigh. Here again he had been lucky. Although it sucked he could not bear his full weight yet he would be able to recover from this one too. Physical therapy was gonna be painful.

Then he scoffed a bit. When had it ever not been painful? But he already knew he would power through the pain just as he always did. Sam would reach his goal to regain his physical strength. Of that he had no question.

Looking up he then stared at his eyes in the mirror. Sam silently asked himself the question he could never answer. Why me? Why does this shit always happen to me?

With Dawn's help in the past he had come to understand that he was not a bad guy who deserved it. But he could never find an answer to why him. As he stared he wondered if he would ever reach a point where he would be unable to recover. If he reached that point he wondered if it would be due to physical or emotional reasons.

Regardless of what he showed to the world, his capacity to cope was being sorely tested right now. Sam wished Dawn was available. He kept swinging back and forth on whether he could handle all the emotions he was feeling on his own. For Spike's sake he was trying too. Spike needed him to be a rock and role model for him that he would be okay.

But it was hard. If he only had to deal with the emotions of the abduction it would be doable. But with the added emotions that he was trying to sort through from his childhood memory it was to a point he didn't know if he could do it. His mind was a tangled mess right now and the pain meds only added to his confusion. He wished he didn't need them right now.

He would have to rely on his masks to get through this. Hide behind them because without Dawn to help him he was alone. As he tried to determine which mask would protect him this time Sam picked up the comb and ran it through his hair.

After a few passes through his hair his hand slowly dropped to the sink. He closed his eyes and imagined Jules's fingers running through his hair. It felt good. He opened his eyes and stared at himself again.

He wasn't alone. He didn't have to handle this on his own. Jules was here. Jules would help him handle this. He loved her so much. He trusted her. She would help. He was not alone.

The images of Spike, Wordy, Ed and Greg passed before him. If he would let them in the rest of his family would help too. Sam sighed. He just couldn't let them in this time.

He knew they had seen him weak and vulnerable before. He didn't like them seeing that side of him. He couldn't explain it to himself but for some reason he just couldn't let them see him that way right now. There seemed to be a deep seeded need to present to the world he was strong and not a victim.

There was a light knock on the door. Ed called out "Samo, you okay in there? Need any help?"

Sam let out one soft, sad laugh. Help? Did he need help? Yeah he did. He needed a lot of help. Could he ask for it? Not yet. He couldn't ask yet. He felt he would break if he asked. Sam did not want to break.

He quickly pulled on his 'I'm okay mask' to cover that he was actually 'F.I.N.E.'. Sam called out "I'm okay. Almost done. Just need to brush my teeth and dress. Give me two minutes."

He took one last look at himself and thought you look like shit Braddock and you look better than you feel. Then he brushed his teeth.

Ed knocked again in two minutes. Sam had managed to get the button down shirt on. It was soft and practical, easy to get on without having to lift his arms. He knew Jules had selected it for just that reason. But he was struggling to get his sweats on. It hurt to bend due to his ribs and the combined injuries to his shoulder and thigh worked against him. He was frustrated he couldn't dress himself and would need help.

At Ed's third knock Sam called out he was decent but needed help with his sweats. Ed heard the irritation in Sam's voice. So he entered and without a word he helped Sam dress into his sweats.

When he was done Ed stood and uttered in a normal voice "Dinner smells good Samo. Mrs. Scarlatti out did herself again. Let's go." He slung Sam's arm around his shoulder and circled his waist with no further comment.

Sam was thankful that Ed made no comment on his need for help dressing or how he looked. He knew pity of any sort would send him spiraling down. He needed things to be as normal as possible if he was gonna get his head back on straight.

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Kitchen**_

As Ed helped him to the kitchen table Sam caught sight of Jules. With her help he knew would get through this and he knew she would be there for him no matter how long it took him to heal the emotional wounds. He could count on her to protect him just as he protected her.

Jules had done so much for him and she seemed to know exactly what he needed. He'd have to tell her tonight how much he appreciated everything she did for him. He felt a bit like a broken record when his mind thought once again god he loved that woman.

He grimaced slightly as Ed helped lower him to the chair at the table. Sam inhaled the delectable aroma of Mrs. Scarlatti's chicken scallopine in a lemon caper sauce and garlic mashed potatoes. Keeping his mask firmly in place Sam said "Spike this looks and smells wonderful. Tell your mom thanks."

They all dug in making appreciative comments on the food. Dinner was filled with conversation about the security system plans, sports, stories about their kids and light-hearted joking.

When he finished, only able to eat part of what he was served, Sam leaned back and quietly observed his team, his family, all seated around the table. A sense of well-being covered him like a comfy blanket and he realized he was a lucky man. He caught Jules eyes and she smiled her eyes communicated 'relax it will be okay'.

As everyone finished Greg had noted Sam shifting in the seat. The chair must be uncomfortable. He had planned to do debrief around the kitchen table but decided Sam needed somewhere more comfortable to sit. He did not want to cause him unnecessary pain.

Greg stood and walked to Sam "Let's move to the family room to do debriefing."

Sam pushed up to a standing position using the table for leverage. Greg nodded and moved closer so Sam could put his arm around Greg's shoulder. Greg assisted Sam to the couch. While he settled Sam into place the others quickly cleared away the dinner dishes. Then they brought out a few chairs so everyone had a place to sit.

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Family Room**_

Once everyone was seated Greg pulled out a copy of the call transcript and started the debriefing. They methodically went through the call point by point as normal until they got to the Blue Wing Door Supplies part of the call. There was a noticeable shift in everyone's demeanor. This is where it all went to hell.

They worked through all the details. It was emotionally draining for everyone. There were the normal would've, could've, ifs and self-doubt on decisions. Each one was addressed, seen through the clarity of other's eyes and put to bed. No one laid into anyone one over any actions or decisions; it was emotional but supportive.

It took them more than two hours to get through it all. It was a silent self-reflective room when they finished to the point of the rescue. Sam was reeling with so many emotions.

That hurt; it all hurt. It hurt hearing how the paramedics had to be called for Jules when she thought he and Spike had died. He saw Spike's face blanch at that part too. Neither one of them wanted the team to feel such pain. Sam could see that they were both proud of the team for carrying on and finding the children

Sam recalled the bruises he had seen on Jules neck when he first woke up in the hospital. He had meant to ask about those but had forgotten when that damned nebulous fear had overtaken him. Jules had almost died saving him. They would need to talk privately and figure out a plan so neither of them made a mistake like that again. All things considered it was a small mistake but one that could have cost Jules her life.

Anger coursed through him when he thought about the kids being used as pawns in the sick bastard's plan to get him and Spike. He had an indescribable feeling at all the coincidences and additional help the team had in the case too. Jim, Connor, Curtis's friend Venetiaj, G&G video and Pat squared. He felt honored that they all worked so hard to find and rescue him and Spike.

It had been silent a long time when Sam broke it "Thanks for not giving up. Thanks for finding us."

Spike was drawn out of his thoughts. He looked at Sam then at all his team "Yeah I second that. Thanks."

Ed looked at the two of them like they had two heads. Rather loudly and gruffly to cover his emotion he said "Christ. No thanks are needed. You'd have done the same for any of us."

Jules stood and said "I think we need a short break before we start on the next."

Sam shot her a look. Next? No he did not want to discuss his fear. But he clammed up and sat quietly. The rest of them got up and moved to other parts of the house.

Wordy went out back and pulled out his phone. Likely calling Shel Sam thought. Greg and Jules headed into the kitchen. Ed headed out front probably calling Sophie. Spike headed upstairs. He sat where he was not really wanting to move. The pain was back at a level he should really take some meds. But he refused to ask for them. If he stayed very still it would be manageable.

Greg came back in and sat on the coffee table in front of Sam "I forgot to let you know. The sketch artist will be here shortly. Jules says you got a good look at the prowler."

Sam breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe the next part was about the prowler. He responded "Yeah I did."

Greg patted his knee "Good. Want anything to drink?"

Jules sauntered in "Already taken care of." She handed Sam an iced coffee and set a small plate of cookies in his lap. "You only took half your dose earlier. I want you to take the other half now. You need to stay on top of the pain." She handed him the pain pill.

He grinned at her, popped the pill into his mouth and washed it down with the iced coffee. He took a bite of cookie, swallowed and said "Thanks Jules."

Greg watched the interaction. Jules knew exactly how to handle him. The cookies were a nice touch. Ed had told him how Sam had responded to smelling the cookies, how the fear started to recede. They might be useful as they discussed his reaction to Dupont's cologne.

Ed and a fairly rotund woman with sweet features entered the family room. Ed stated "Ms Meadows has arrived."

Greg and Jules rose to greet her and shake her hands. Sam stayed where he was and reached out his hand as she came to him "Sorry, for my bad manners. I would stand if I could but." He let the rest trail off then continued "I'm Sam Braddock, just call me Sam please. Nice to meet you Ms. Meadows."

Sam watched her reaction to his bruised face. He just smiled and added "Looks worse than it feels. So you are here to do the sketch?"

Rose Meadows had never seen such a painful looking face. Working for the police department she had heard of the abduction but my goodness this was just awful. Poor man, it had to hurt so much. She managed to school her features and smile back "Rose please. Yes I'm here to do the sketch. I'm ready whenever you are."

Jules indicated to a chair and Rose sat down and pulled out her sketching tools. Sam and Rose worked together for the next forty-five minutes as Sam gave detailed information he had remembered. The others milled about while they worked.

Rose put down her pencil and turned the sketch to Sam "Is this the man you saw?"

Sam nodded "Yeah, that's him. He was tall too."

Rose was very good Sam thought. It was almost as if it were a photo. Looking back at him from the paper was a man with a broad face, square jaw, eyes set wide. The nose was spot on, big and crooked like it had been broken. The lips were thin almost non-existent. The hair was unremarkable, just a normal short cut.

As Rose turned the sketch for them all to see Jules gasped. Tree man. All eyes landed on Jules. She said "I've seen him. I bumped into him at the market. I'd never forget his face. He was the guy that someone mistook for a friend out in the parking lot. He looked angry when the guy stopped him. I wonder …"

She trailed off as the ramifications of what happened worked themselves into her mind. Her uneasy feeling was validated. She vaguely wondered if the other man, the one with long hair, stopped her from being attacked that night in the parking lot. A small shiver coursed through her.

Sam and the others were staring at her. This was no random prowler, someone was stalking Jules. This man was after their Jules. All five guys had the same thought; the man would not get a chance to hurt her if they had anything to say about it.

Greg was the first to speak "Rose you would please scan him into the database tonight. We originally thought it was just prowler. But it appears he may be stalking Jules. Once you scan him in if you could please send the file to Spike and we can take it from there."

"Yes I can do that. I'll head to the office right now. You should have the file within the next hour" Rose stated.

Greg spoke more to her and thanked her as she gathered up her supplies and headed out. The rest of the team waited until she was gone to speak.

As Greg reentered the family room Ed laughed sardonically "Well hell. It isn't as though we don't already have enough to deal with. Throwing in a stalker is just icing on the god damned cake."

Wordy was calmer and asked "Jules have you seen him any other times?"

"No. the market was the first. Then apparently Sam and then you thought you saw something."

Spike interjected "I wish we had the cameras installed already." They all nodded in agreement.

Looking at Jules Ed said "I'm staying the night along with Wordy. When we are done here we will both head home to get our off duty weapons then come back."

Jules bristled "I can take care of myself. I don't need you playing big brother."

He glared at her "I know you can." He hoped she could read his reason nonverbally.

"Then why are you going all overboard" she demanded hotly. She could take care of herself. She had done so ever since her family turned their back on her. She hated the implication she couldn't handle one guy. He might be big but he was only one guy. She could whip his ass if he tried anything.

Nope apparently she didn't or couldn't. Ed was going to hate himself for saying this, Sam and possibly Spike were gonna be pissed at him "Because there are others here that cannot protect themselves right now."

Sam stared at Ed. Ah hell. He dropped his head into his hands. He hated to admit it but Ed was right. If the guy made a move he could do nothing to help Jules or himself. In his current state he could potentially be used against Jules putting her at greater risk. He cared more about Jules safety then his pride so he kept his mouth shut.

Ed's words and Sam's reaction were like a bucket of ice water. All heat left her and she wished she had not reacted that way. Crap. Nothing like stomping all over Sam's pride. "Alright. For tonight. We can get the cameras installed tomorrow."

Greg had seen Sam's reaction and softly said "I'll stay with Jules, Sam and Spike if you guys want to go get them now. I think we all could use a few moments to regroup."

He walked to the front door with Wordy and Ed. He whispered to them just before the door closed. Then he headed back to the family room. He nodded to Jules to follow him into the kitchen.

Speaking in a low voice Greg said "I told Ed and Wordy to take their time. Given Sam's state I think it would be best if only you, me and Spike were here when we tell him about Dupont."

Jules nodded "Yeah, not sure how much more he can take."

They walked back into the family room and overheard Spike telling Sam the layout for the security system.

Jules sat close to Sam and placed a hand on his arm "We need to tell you something. Wordy and Ed know but we thought it would be easier for you to hear with less people around."

Sam looked at her quizzically but remained quiet.

"It has to do with the smell that triggered your fear. We identified the source of the odor" Greg said.

Jules picked up "Your first reaction was severe. Then when I approached you later and you reacted with fear it concerned me, us. I started writing down the times when you would react."

This was a surprise to him. Spike joined in "When Jules was not with us she asked me to keep track."

Sam just nodded wondering where this was going. Greg said "When I met the new head of security I had what Ed calls a gut feeling. Jules and Ed had the same feeling. None of us got a good vibe from him. Turns out he wears the same cologne as your doctor did that first time you reacted, an old one called Dominion. They were both there and I'm sure the odor must have been strong for you."

Jules took over "When I visited you I had just had an encounter with him in the elevator. He held my wrist and so when I entered your room the scent was on me. It was faint but it was there."

Sam asked what type of encounter. Jules told him the details. He was seething that someone would do that to her. She calmed him and got the discussion back on track. "Ed was able to get us security footage from the hospital cameras. Spike correlated the times of your reactions to times when the security guy did his patrols and he was outside your room. Ed's old friend works in security and told him that they were watching the man closely. Seems he's not very popular. They found some anomalies with the positioning of the cameras outside your ICU room and the room you and Spike shared."

Greg smiled softly "We were worried about you. I called your father to see if he could recall anything from your past that might help us help you. Ed also got a military vibe off the head of security so we thought we would run his name by your dad to see if he might be on a short list of your enemies."

They had been careful not to mention the name. They wanted to give Sam the full picture before any emotional reactions might be triggered by the name.

Sam asked "So what did my father say?"

Carefully he said "He could not recall any time other than Sara's death where you showed fear. But when I mentioned the name of the security guard he told me that you had been hurt by someone with a similar name when you were eleven."

Sam froze. His heart beat increased rapidly. Inside he was shaking but externally he was still. Did they know? Did his dad tell them he was molested? He managed to get out "What did my dad tell you?"

"Not much. Only that the man beat you during the three months you were in his care. That you ran away to get away from the abuse. That you testified at his court martial but he got off with no prison time because there was no physical evidence he hit you but got a BCD for failing to report you missing for twelve days" Greg answered.

He relaxed slightly. His dad had not told them everything. For that he was thankful. Then he wondered what the security guard's name was "What is the name of the new head of security? Why would that make my dad relate that incident?"

Jules took his hand. She captured and held his blue eyes offering support. "His name is Gaston Dupont. He is the identical twin brother of Gerard Dupont."

That bastard had a twin brother? Sam swallowed hard. He was the head of security at the hospital? Crap he had to go there tomorrow. His PT sessions were located there. What the hell would he do if he encountered him? Would he be able to control his reaction to the scent? He wasn't sure.

Sam looked at each of them and then nervously laughed "I guess it's just another reason to hate hospitals."


	28. Moral Path & Holy Shit Samuel is Crying!

**Moral Path & ****Holy Shit Samuel is Crying!**

* * *

 _ **Outside DuPont's Apartment**_

"… nothing but drinking. He's passed out now. Doubt he'll be up until he has to drag his butt into work" Shade finished his report to Oracle.

"So you said he seemed upset when his brother left unexpectedly?" General Braddock asked. He had left the surveillance to his friends today when he received an urgent call regarding one of the ongoing missions. It had taken all day to resolve and coordinate extraction. But at least the men were safely extracted and there were no causalities.

It seemed duty always interfered with his ability to be there for Samuel. But those men were someone's son too. He was their General and it was up to him to do whatever he could to bring them home alive. So he delegated the task of watching Dupont to his trusted men. Luckily everything had been quiet and nothing happened this time.

"Yep. Slammed his fists on the table. Started drinking then and didn't stop" Shade confirmed.

Hound asked "He has made no move so far on Phoenix. Do we still believe he is a threat to Phoenix? I mean Phoenix is a man now, not a defenseless boy. And Dupont has spent the last two days drinking. Plus I reconned Ariel's home. Phoenix appears to be well guarded for now. Indications she is installing a security system too."

"Not willing to take a chance. Dupont likely has to change any plans he may have made now that his brother is no longer here. That's pretty likely especially given the reaction Shade observed. I'm happy to hear that Ariel is adding a security system" Braddock responded.

Braddock like the code name Shakespeare had selected for Jules. Shakespeare told him that Ariel meant lioness of God or angel of protection. That fit Jules so well based on things Samuel shared and he knew for himself about her. Recalling what Yvonne had shared with him Jules was the only one for Samuel. He tended to agree; that one was special and he hoped one day Samuel and Jules would work things out.

He was pulled from his musing when Shakespeare cautiously ventured "Oracle, you know what you said about keeping it on the legal side?"

The General nodded watching the indecision of Duffy "Yes. You have an idea?"

Shakespeare shifted uncomfortably "I don't want to overstep my bounds. But I've had a lot of experience in dealing with boys that have been abused. Kinda made it my mission to look closely for the signs of it at the school I teach at. Over the years I've had a pretty successful partnership with Detective Sally Jackson. Sally is with the Specialized Criminal Investigations Unit and she usually deals with cases involving children and sex crimes. I was thinking that perhaps I could contact her and pass on the information I found out about Dupont."

"I know that it is out of her jurisdiction since none of the victims have been from Toronto but perhaps she has contacts with someone in other Provinces or within RCMP that would cross jurisdiction lines. I don't know if Dupont is the perpetrator or not in those cases but it might give them a subject to start investigating. It might be the break they are looking for. If he is guilty that would be one sure way to keep him away from Phoenix. It would also be justice for anyone he has harmed."

General Braddock realized that he had had tunnel vision until now. So focused on his rage at Dupont and his need to keep Samuel safe he forgot all the others this man may have hurt. He bowed his head for a moment. He was a lucky man to have men around him that were thinking clearly and saw another way to solve this problem.

He lifted his head and directly regarded Samuel's old tutor "Do it. If he is a serial pedophile and has been preying on boys in hospitals we need to nail his ass to the wall legally. If your friend Detective Jackson can help that would be great."

Then he thought of his son and pain this would cause him so he stipulated "But I want Phoenix to be left completely out of it. Not a single mention of his name. He does not need to dredge up the past he's been hurt enough already. He just needs to move forward. It won't do any good to revisit the past and open old wounds."

Shakespeare nodded "Thanks. I'll make sure his name does not come up in any way."

Shade looked at his long-time friend. He could see reason and balance starting to take over again. It was more like the man he knew. He was glad for it because he knew that vengeance outside the law would eat away at William. He had an idea.

He cleared his throat "Oracle. Why don't you leave the surveillance and protection detail to the three of us? That way you can surface and go visit your …" he almost said boy but stopped and corrected "You could visit Phoenix. I'm sure he would welcome a visit from you as he recovers."

General Braddock gave the suggestion consideration then responded "I'll think about it. I need to contact his boss anyway and fill him in on what we have found out about the Dupont twins switching places. I'll call tomorrow morning. It's been a while since we've seen each other. It would be nice to visit with Phoenix, maybe have some coffee together."

Hound said "Why don't you call it a night. Shade and I will keep watch on Dupont. You and Shakespeare can head back to the hotel and discuss what to share with the Detective tomorrow."

Although Hound still wanted to kill Dupont he was warming to the idea of putting the man behind bars. Dying would be too easy an out for the bastard. His life would be hell in prison for a very long time, just exactly what he deserved.

The General agreed with Hound's suggestion to call it a night. He and Duffy headed back to the hotel to get some sleep.

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Sam's Room**_

Sleep was elusive last night and when it came nightmares came. Sam actually preferred not sleeping last night. He glanced at the clock. It was still early, only six-forty am. If this had been a normal work day the team would be just finishing up workout and heading to the showers. But it wasn't a normal work day.

It was so far from normal for him and his head was more scrambled than ever. He had wanted Jules last night. He needed her to hold him close if nothing else. He did not want to be alone with his thoughts that were now jumbled up with irrational thoughts of Dupont coming after him and hurting him again. Christ, he was a man now; Dupont would never be able to do that to him now. He'd kill the son of a bitch before he could touch him again.

He had wanted Jules but with Ed staying the night and sleeping on the couch in the family room they decided it was too risky for her to stay in his room. Sam wasn't about to expose himself and share these memories with the guys. He couldn't bear if they watched his nightmares and maybe overheard him. So instead of having anyone in the room with him he spent it alone with his nightmares.

The nightmares had been a horrible chaotic mixture of things. Images of target shooting, being beaten and doused in that damned cologne. Sometimes he was a boy and sometimes he was a man. Every time it was Dupont tormenting him and berating him. Sometimes it occurred at the gun range, sometimes in the ammo depot and sometimes at the hospital.

Luckily he had not called out or screamed during the night terrors. But he had been drenched in sweat several times last night. He felt like he really could use another shower. But he couldn't make it to the bathroom by himself.

The combination of residual memories of the nightmares and his weakness and inability to even do the simplest thing like walking to the bathroom by himself started him down a dark, depressive path. As he laid there awake the memories of all that Dupont had done to him marched in and out of his head. All the times he yelled at him and put him down. All the times he hit him when he missed the shot. The man was a mean bastard.

With horror Sam recalled that Dupont had constantly told him it was his job to toughen him up, improve his sniper skills and make him into the soldier his father wanted him to be. His methods were brutal and ineffective. Sam recalled that his accuracy and speed had actually plummeted in the months Dupont was abusing him.

Then the memories of his father came into his head. His childhood was full of twisted memories. It was hard sometimes to know what was real or what was twisted. But dawning of the truth began to rise.

Clarity of how his father had taught him to shoot surfaced. The General had only ever been supportive, encouraging and proud of him. His dad used a gentle hand and kind words. He had enjoyed shooting with his dad. It was their special time together. A passion they both shared.

Sam groaned as he realized now that all the brutality around learning to shoot was not the fault of his father. The brutality, the hitting and cruel words had only ever been from Dupont. It belonged solely to Dupont. It was not his father.

The emotional pain brought on by this awareness hurt worse than his current physical pain.

Tears for falsely attributing Dupont's actions to his dad streaked down his face. Oh god, how many other things did he blame his dad for that were not his fault? The pain was unbearable.

Before he knew what he was doing he had grabbed his phone from the nightstand and dialed.

* * *

 _ **Hotel – General Braddock's Room**_

General Braddock was pulled from sleep when heard his phone ringing. He glanced at clock 0645 hours then he looked the caller id and sleepily smiled. He answered "Hello son. How are you doing?"

 _[Sam was silent. He wasn't sure what to say. Part of him just needed to hear his father's voice. Then the unbelievable happened, a choked sob escaped.]_

"Samuel you okay son?" Braddock asked hearing just silence then a soft sob.

 _[In a soft broken voice Sam rasped "I'm … so … sorry … dad" before the soft sobs began in earnest.]_

The General was thunderstruck. Samuel was crying? Holy shit, Samuel was crying! That just did not happen at least not with him. There had only ever been one time before, when Samuel got his memory back after that damned priority one mission. But that had been an extraordinarily emotional time for all of them. The overwhelming influx of memories had short-circuited Samuel's normal behavior that day.

If Samuel was crying whatever was going on had to be beyond his capacity to handle. Samuel needed him now. General Braddock was up and pulling on his shirt and pants then shoving his feet into his boots as he said "Samuel I'm coming. Hang on son. I'm coming."

Braddock was glad the hotel was only ten minutes from Jules place. He had no idea what the hell was going on. But Samuel needed him and he would not fail to be there for him this time.

As he started the car he asked "Can you tell me what's wrong?" Samuel did not answer him. The only thing the General heard was soft gut wrenching weeping. So he spoke soft reassuring words to Samuel as he raced to Jules's home breaking speed limits the entire way.

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home**_

General Braddock arrived at Jules's home and knocked loudly on the locked front door. He was impatient, his heart was breaking. Samuel was in pain and had reached out to him. He was still on the phone with Samuel and the crying had not stopped. The General banged loudly again when no one came instantly to open the door. He was seriously considering kicking it in.

Wordy, Ed, Spike and Jules were all abruptly awoken by a loud sound. Ed made it to the front door before the others who were still coming down the stairs. All concerned at the loud ongoing pounding on Jules's front door so early in the morning.

Ed opened the door and was stunned to see the disheveled General Braddock with a phone to his ear standing at the front door. His shirt was only partially button and his boots were not even tied.

General Braddock entered the house and urgently asked "Where is Samuel?"

Jules in her astonished state simply pointed to the downstairs bedroom unable to even form the words to ask why he was here.

The General strode quickly to Samuel's room.

Ed started to follow when Spike stepped in front of him "Ed leave them alone." Spike wasn't quite sure why he did it but something told him it was important that Sam was allowed to be alone with his father. Something in the General's eyes or the urgent tone maybe.

Wordy stepped down the last stair "I agree. Let's go start some coffee Ed." He tugged on Ed's arm and nudged him towards the kitchen.

Ed followed Wordy and Spike reluctantly to the kitchen eyeing the bedroom door as it closed behind the General. "When did the General get here?" he said still bemused at the General's appearance.

Jules padded softly into the kitchen too with a flummoxed expression. "He was barely dressed. His shoes were not even tied" she said her tone clearly indicating her confusion.

Spike just as perplexed as the others looked at them all and simply said "We can find out later."

Wordy made coffee and then poured cups for the four of them. Each had taken a seat on the stools around her kitchen island. They sat in preoccupied silence sipping coffee. Each was trying to wrap their head around how Sam's father had come to be here this morning when they knew he had to be in London. They wondered at his unkempt appearance and his near panicked state.

Something was definitely going on. They would just have to wait to find out what it was.

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Sam's Room**_

General Braddock pocketed his phone as he opened Samuel's door. The sight that greeted him tore him up. Samuel looked up at him in surprise phone held tightly in one hand. He saw the tears, the fears, the pain and uncertainty reflected in his son's lost eyes.

He moved in and closed the door. He strode purposefully to the bed, sat down and gathered his crying son into his arms. "I'm here son. I'm here. Whatever it is that is hurting you I'm here. I won't fail you this time."

Sam was mystified. His dad was here. How? When? He ceased to question when he was enfolded in his father's strong arms. He felt like a little boy being protected in his dad's arms. He let out all the pain he had felt but never showed his dad. He clung to his dad and cried for all the past misconceptions for all the wrongful things he had assigned to his dad.

It was a release decades in the making. Until now he had never been able to cry in front of his father. Never able to show the pain and the hurt he felt because no crying was allowed. He was supposed to man-up because no crying was allowed. So he had always pushed down the pain, pushed down the tears.

But he now saw that those were not the words of his father. They were words of Donner and Dupont. All these years holding in the pain because of another god damned twisted memory. Sam could no longer keep it locked in and hidden from his dad. It surged out uncontrolled.

"Aaah Sammy my boy. I'm so sorry I've never been there when you needed me" William Braddock crooned to his distraught son. The tears of his son caused waterworks of his own. Hot tears slid unchecked from William's eyes. His poor boy was in so much pain.

He rocked slightly as he rubbed Samuel's back; the motions of a father comforting a son. The motions William wished he could have done so many times when Samuel was little. His boy had endured so much pain in his life. Samuel had never allowed him to hold him or see him cry as a child. As an adult he had only seen a few tears from Samuel. But he knew there was so much pain he kept hidden.

"It'll be okay my boy. Let it all out Sammy. I'm here now" he said in a gravelly choked up voice.

Sam cried for every hurt, every slight and every cruel word he had ever thought his father was responsible for.

William cried for every hurt, every slight and every cruel word he had failed to protect his son from.

They both cried for the lost little boy who grew up afraid and alone.

When tears were nearly spent William cupped his son's face in his hands and looked him in the eyes. Nearly identical sets of blues eyes blood shot and red rimmed locked onto one another.

William whispered "I'm so sorry Sammy" at the same time Sam whispered "I'm so sorry dad."

The General was taken aback by his son's words "Sammy my boy you have nothing to be sorry for. I'm the one who failed you. I was always so far way when you needed me, even if I was just in the other room."

Shaking his head Sam said "Yes I do. I bl.. blamed you for every… everything." His voice broke and he stifled another sob.

Thumbing the tears from his son's eyes William said "It is my fault son. I am the dad. It's my job to protect you."

"But you did, you did and I didn't see that. Things others did I … I … thought you did. Things others said … I thought you said … I blamed you. I always … unjustly … blamed you" Sam choked out.

Sharp pain penetrating his heart William spoke softly "Which only means I failed you from the beginning. I set the stage for your young mind to twist things. If I had not been so stubborn … If I had listened to your mother in the first place. Ahhh dammit Sammy I'm so sorry."

Face scrunched tight with pain Sam forced his breath to form words through his constricted throat "I see now. Oh god! I see now how many things I laid at your feet dad. Things that you did not do or say. Shooting. You taught me with love and support. You wanted to share something you cared about with me. But I … I … I"

Sam was stopped as a new set of sobs wracked his body. The pain of the injustice he heaped on his father making it impossible to speak.

William gently pulled his son's head to his chest close to his heart. Tears of a lifetime were flowing and he wanted his son to release them all. Every last one no matter how painful it was to hear and see the deep pain of his son.

Since the day at the gazebo when Sam had finally called him dad they had danced around the past. They had tried to reconnect and move forward; to build a relationship. He had thought they had done an okay job of it.

But now he realized they could never be more than just friends unless they dealt with the past. William wanted more for them. He wanted a father and son relationship. They would have to address the sins of the past. "Son talk to me, please. Tell me everything that hurt you in the past. Together we can help each other."

Sam didn't know if he could. There was so much. So very much.

The General could feel the stiffening and the start of Samuel pulling back. Lifting Samuel's face again and holding his eyes he pleaded "Please Sammy. I've hurt you beyond imagine. I was not there when you needed me most as a little boy. Please let me be here for you now. Can you tell me what I can do to help?"

Barely above a whisper Sam said "You didn't hurt me. Dupont did." Sam pulled his head away unable to look his dad in the eyes. Shame and humiliation bubbled up as his stomach rolled "I tried to stop him. But I was too little. I was too weak."

The General wanted to speak to reassure him it was okay but held his tongue. He saw Samuel needed to get it out. New tears slipped from the corners of his eyes as he listened.

"The Sergeant said things. Cruel, hurtful things. He told me you did not want me. That I was a worthless piece of shit. He said I would never measure up to your standards. The bastard told me I should never been born." Sam's breathing was hitched and coming in short gasps.

Sam covered his eyes with his hand "When he beat me with the belt he said he was doing me a favor. That when he was done I was to thank him for taking the time and bothering enough to toughen me up and try to make me into the soldier you wanted. He made me thank him. I thanked that bastard for beating me."

Several deep sobs overtook Sam before he could continue. "Then every time I cried because of the pain he would tell me I was a lost cause. That I was no man, that I was weak. Only the weak cried. That real men did not cry. That because I was weak I would never be worthy of being cared about or loved."

Sam looked up and uncovered his eyes the deepest regret shone in his eyes "Dad, I … I … oh god, I twisted it all around. I thought you said and did those things. There are so many things I thought you did that you didn't. I'm so sorry. Can you ever forgive me?" Heaving sobs wracked Sam again.

William pulled Sam close again "Hush, it is alright. Hush son. Shhhh. Shhhh. Oh Sammy I so sorry I ever allowed that man near you. Hush son. There is nothing to forgive. Nothing at all to forgive you for. You were just a little boy. It is my entire fault. I was supposed to protect you and I failed you. If only I was there for you when you needed me most."

The General's voice cracked "Dupont is a monster. It was my fault you were hurt so badly by him. It is I that should be seeking your forgiveness. I should be begging for your forgiveness. Because of me you endured untold pain. You almost died because you had to run away from that son of a bitch. Sammy I'm so very sorry. I know words can never truly express how I feel."

Sam never thought in a million years he would admit this to his father but in his arms right this moment he felt secure like he had never felt before. In a low voice he said "He did things to me after he hit my face. He did things, made me do things I didn't understand back then. He hurt me dad. He hurt me a lot. I was so scared. I wanted you to come save me. I screamed and cried for you and he laughed at me. I didn't want to be hurt again like that. So I had to run away. I would have rather died then be touched by him again. I was so scared."

Continuing Sam said "There is this damned scent. It made me remember these things. I had them buried deep. I didn't know why I was so scared when the odor hit me in the hospital. But the memory returned the night before last. And last night Jules and the Boss told me about the Sergeant's twin brother at the hospital. I don't know … If I smell it again will I … What I'm trying to say …"

He looked at his dad trying to figure out just how to say it. He tried another way "I've had lots of terrible things happen to me. Qasim and the needles was one of the worst. Remember when I thought I murdered that bastard in cold blood and I didn't think I could live with myself? Thinking I crossed that line nearly killed me." Sam was having trouble catching his breath so stopped to focus on it.

The General nodded remembering that clearly. He wondered just where Samuel was going with his thoughts. But he was barely holding the contents of his stomach down listening to what Samuel said. Sammy screamed and cried for him to save him as that bastard sexually assaulted him. Oh god that wounded him deeply. He never knew that Sammy had cried out for him. He had so much to atone for.

Finally getting his breathing under control Sam said his body and voice shaking with rage "Dad my head is so fucked up right now. I'm scared. I'm really scared. I could kill Dupont with my bare hands and not blink an eye for the things he did to me."

"I want to seek him out and kill him. The only thing preventing me right now is I'm not able to walk. Even if I can stop myself from purposely finding him I'm afraid I will not be able to stop myself from killing him if I ever run across him by chance. He hurt me so deeply in too many ways. He made me believe you did not love or want me. I want to kill the bastard slowly."

General Braddock stared at Samuel as his admission sank in. He could see in his son's eyes he was telling the truth. He needed to tell him a few things but first he had a far more important question to ask. He cautiously asked "What would happen to you if you killed him?"

Rage abating but his body still shaking "Nothing has changed dad. I live by the same moral code. I still wouldn't be able to live with myself for murdering someone. I would have to …"

Firmly and a little harshly General Braddock stated "Samuel William Braddock, you will not kill yourself over this worthless piece of garbage. I will not allow that. God forgive me I was not there to protect you, to save you then. I will not fail you now son. I am here to help you now."

The harshness of his father's tone snapped Sam's head up "How?"

"How what?" his dad asked needing to clarify exactly what Samuel meant before answering.

"How can you help me now dad?" Sam asked quietly not seeing any way to relieve how he felt and what he wanted to do and his fate if he did actually follow through.

The General smiled at Samuel with pride coloring his words he said "Son, I've always been amazed and thankful that you are a survivor. No matter what hell you've been through you come out better and stronger. I am so proud of the man you are."

He placed his hand on his uninjured shoulder and squeezed gently "If you can be strong and trust in me I think there is a way to take a moral path here and ensure that Dupont gets what is coming to him. Did you wonder how I got here within ten minutes of your phone call when I'm supposed to be in London?"

Sam nodded "Yeah I did wonder."

The General then proceeded to tell Sam about his arrival and intentions upon arrival. How Duffy aka Shakespeare had suggested a possible path for bringing Dupont to justice due to the suspected trail of victims. Then he dropped the bombshell that the head of security was actually Gerard Dupont.

Sam's roar of "NO FUCKING WAY! I'M GONNA KILL THE BASTARD" brought Ed, Wordy, Spike and Jules running into the room.

.

* * *

 _ **A/N:** This one was tough to write. Wasn't sure whether Sam would ever confide in dad. The more I thought about it the better it fit for a full reconciliation. I know Sam was all over the place emotional and thought wise. But I thought his thinking would be that way given all he had been through and the added benefits of lack of sleep and of pain killers muddling him up. Did it work? Did it seem sincere? Does the scene need to be reworked? **Please let me know your thoughts.**_


	29. Go On Sir, Vexed, Jackass & Bridge Built

**Go On Sir, Vexed, Jackass & Bridge Built**

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Sam's Room**_

General Braddock stood and glared at the four that barged into the room. Samuel was too vulnerable at the moment and needed protecting. He tried to block their view of Samuel as he yelled "Out. Out now. I will handle this."

Ed's hackles raised and he glared back "Why are you here? You cannot have Sam for another special assignment! He is no condition right now." His mind had played out so many scenarios while sipping coffee. The only one that seemed logical was the General was here because he needed Sam for another special assignment. To hell with that, the General had invoked that damned clause too many times.

Like hell he would standby and allow that to happen. It was clear as day Sam was in great distress. It was also clear the General said something to Sam that made him fly into a rage. Sam was in no condition to be handling whatever the General was laying at his doorstep. He held the General's glare.

Jules eyes were bouncing back and forth between the General and Sam noticing both men had red rimmed eyes and tear streaked faces. A small part of her heart leapt up. Did Sam just confide in his father about what Dupont did?

She noted they both looked emotionally wrung out underneath Sam's current rage and the General's protective shield. She could only hope that Sam opened up to his dad about that pain. Especially since she recalled Sam waking from his nightmare begging for his dad to save him. If he did, it might just be the thing to build the bridge over the chasm that still existed between him and his dad.

Spike was staring at Sam alone. What the heck was going on? Sam looked absolutely distraught. No masks in place, he was wide open and seething with unrestrained rage and pain.

What Spike saw in Sam's eyes paled in comparison to what he had seen when Sam went after Vlad. There was a coldness that bespoke of murderous intent in Sam's eyes. It scared the hell out of him. What the hell happened and who did Sam want to kill? How could he help his brother before he did something he would regret?

Wordy sighed. The teared stained faces and red eyes meant to him that the two of them had finally really talked. Sam had finally reached out to his father when he needed help. Whatever the wound was it was deep and had festered for a very long time. The look on both their faces showed they had lanced the festering boil and the infectious pus was draining. But now they had to cleanse and care for the wound for it to heal properly.

And clearly there was something amiss. There was too much pain in Sam's eyes and the grizzly bear like protection exhibited by his father meant there was a real threat, a danger lurking out there for Sam. Sam's roar of killing the bastard made the question 'who was the danger?'

Wordy wondered if it had to do with the prowler/stalker. Maybe Vlad still had an accomplice out there. Could they have it wrong? Was Sam or Spike the actual target? Maybe by going after Jules they thought to hurt them. It wouldn't be the first time a dirtbag targeted someone close to someone to inflict pain.

Jules found her voice "We need to calm down. Sam are you…" as she started to move to the bed at the same time Spike started forward.

Sam dropped his eyes to his lap then bowed his head as he put up a hand indicating for them to stop then he said softly "Dad."

Spike and Jules both stopped mid-step and did not move closer.

General Braddock turned back to his son. Sam motioned with his index finger for him to come close. When he did Sam whispered to him for several minutes before turning away from everyone. They all watched as Sam carefully lowered himself from a seated to a prone position on the bed and all heard his hiss of pain.

Turning back to the group the General spoke quietly but with an air of command "Samuel wishes to be alone for a while. Jules he asked you to bring him in his maximum dosage of pain medication."

The quiet words and Sam's request for the maximum dosage worried them. But they complied with Sam's wishes and filed out of the room. Jules headed for the kitchen and returned to Sam's room with his pills.

Jules saw that General Braddock still stood in the same place in Sam's room. He watched her as she handed Sam three pain pills and a glass of water. Sam swallowed the medication with a large drink of water. Then he handed back the water glass and closed his eyes.

She knew this dosage would knock Sam out for hours. She knew Sam knew this too. It must be what he wanted especially since he would not make eye contact with her. Jules brushed once through his hair "Sleep well."

Sam nodded once. Jules stood and looked at the General with open concern and questioning whether she should stay.

General Braddock gave her a sad smile and a shake of his head "Samuel wants us all to leave him alone for a while. Best you head out now too. I'll be out momentarily. Please contact Sergeant Parker to see if he can come over. We need to talk."

Jules left the room closing the door behind her.

William knelt down and leaned close to his son. Sam opened his eyes and he whispered again to his father for several more minutes. The General only listened; his heart heavy as Samuel told him how he could help. He had failed his son so badly he would do anything to help his son heal. But what Samuel asked him to do would be very difficult for him to do. It went against every fiber of his being.

When Samuel was done speaking William quietly asked "Are you sure son?"

Sam nodded slightly already feeling the pull into what he hoped would be a dreamless sleep as he slurred "Yes please I need your help dad."

The General stood then watched as his son's body relaxed as a drug induced sleep claimed him. His heart ached for his son. He did not want to do what Samuel asked but he would. He sat on the chair and tied his boot laces. William unbuttoned his incorrectly half buttoned shirt then buttoned it correctly and tucked it in properly.

In the adjoining bathroom William splashed water on his face then rubbed it dry to remove the traces of tears. He took a moment to stare in the mirror lost in thought. His sins against his son were far deeper than he ever imagined.

His mind conjured up images of his eleven year old Sammy screaming and crying for him to save him. It was almost too much to bear. He wasn't there to save him. He fucking wasn't there when Sammy had screamed and cried for him. Nothing he could ever say or do would ever make up for that failure.

No longer able to look into his own eyes William stumbled back against the door jab and dropped his head into his hands. He would do what Samuel requested. He didn't have to like it, he definitely did not like it, but he would honor his son's request. He needed to do whatever Samuel needed done to heal and atone for his sin of not being there for his son in his time of need.

But there was a moral war going on in his mind. God forgive him he wanted to kill the bastard. He sure as hell would not let his son be hurt further by allowing Samuel to kill Dupont. Could he kill Dupont in cold blood for his son? Could he live as a murderer? Then his mind latched onto the thought it's not like the man was innocent. Dupont was most definitely guilty. It could save others if he put a bullet between that bastard's eyes.

He stood and straightened his shoulders. Erect and purposeful William headed back into the room stopping to take a look at his son. To protect his son he could kill. But could he do what Samuel asked him to do? That he was not sure he had the strength to do.

But he was about to find out. He headed for the door to do as Samuel requested.

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Family Room**_

Ed, Wordy and Spike were all pacing. None could contain their worry and needed to move. Jules had called Greg who happened to already be on his way over. Old habits of early rising were hard to break. She didn't explain anything on the phone just told him General Braddock was here and wanted to talk.

Jules answered the knock at the front door and found Greg holding two trays of coffees and a large box of timbits.

Greg walked in and said "Stopped at Timmy's before I got your call. What is going on?"

Jules motioned him to follow her to the family room. Once there he handed out the coffees and put the box of timbits on the table. He saw the stress on everyone's faces. Ed stopped pacing to explain this morning's events to Greg. Meanwhile Jules took Sam's iced capp to the fridge and returned with a large mug of coffee for the General for when he exited Sam's room.

General Braddock inhaled slow and long, held his breath and released it in the same manner. He then opened the door and headed out to do what his son had asked of him. Jules approached him and handed him a mug of coffee. He took a long drink as he surveyed Sam's team. They were not going to like this any better than he did.

"Morning, I'd say good but this morning is far from that. Please have a seat. I need to speak with you" General Braddock stated.

Ed asked "We thought you were in London? What are you doing here?"

"Please, sit. I will explain all" Braddock said.

Once everyone except him took a seat the General began "As you all are aware I'm sure Sergeant Parker called me to see if there was anything from Samuel's past that would account for the fear you all saw. He provided me the name Gaston Dupont inquiring if it might be one of the potential enemies from the investigation into Samuel's tours. The name Dupont was familiar and I had my team begin to investigate former Sergeant Gerard Dupont."

Spike interrupted "We found out that Gaston has a twin brother named Gerard."

"Yes he does" the General acknowledged. Then he looked at Greg "How much or what did you tell the team about the incident I shared with you?"

Greg answered "Gave them the basic framework that when Sam was eleven there was an incident where he was badly mistreated while you were away and he ran away and that the Sergeant was given a BCD."

Wordy interjected "We all read between the lines and understood that mistreated most likely meant that Dupont hit Sam. It would have had to be significant to warrant a BCD."

They were good, as good as Samuel always said. Given a bit more time they would find out the rest. The General took a steadying breath and his stance hardened. "My son Samuel is an honorable man and I am forever proud of him. He has suffered many hardships in his life. The way he forges through and comes out the other side stronger and better has always amazed me."

He saw head nods of agreement from all. "This time is no different. Samuel has asked me to share with you part of his past. But only because he feels that in doing so he can help others. That he can prevent others from being hurt in the same manner he was."

Questioning looks were on all the guys' faces but Jules face was sad, very, very sad.

The General took note of the faces then continued "Let me back up a bit so everyone will be on the same page. As Parker shared there was an incident when Samuel was eleven." He went on to tell them how he was out of country to help his sick wife. That he left Samuel in the care of Sergeant Gerard Dupont and his tutors Corporal Royce Duffy and Private Theo Brock. How he was gone for nearly three months.

He then shared the about the phone calls from Dupont and Duffy and how they found out Samuel had run away. He told them about how Samuel had been found and his condition when found. Then he explained the court marital that followed. When he told about the sentence Dupont got he could see the anger brewing in all their eyes and in their body language.

The General blew out a breath "So that is the official account."

Jules curled into her chair drawing her knees to her chest and laying her head on her knees. Spike noticed "Jules are you okay?" That drew everyone else's attention to her.

She looked at them and then at the General who seemed like he wanted to throw up. Much like she did. She knew what was coming next, the unofficial, real, missing part.

Jules answered Spike by looking at the General and saying "Go on Sir. Get it over with. Sam wants you to tell them. I cannot fathom why he does but if he does just get it over with. Please."

At Jules words and tone Wordy softly breathed out "Shit no. Dammit not that" as his head dropped into his hands.

Ed, Spike and Greg looked at him confused. Then they looked at General Braddock.

They saw tears form in Braddock's eyes as he said "I always suspected but had no proof. Samuel shutdown back then and would not talk about the abuse he suffered. But the odor he smelled in the hospital brought back his repressed memories. That animal Gerard Dupont molested Samuel. That is the reason he ran away. Samuel almost died because that son of a bitch hurt him."

Shock and pain for Sam hit each of them.

General Braddock turned his back needing to recompose himself. He swiped at the hot tears that prickled and threatened to glide down his cheeks. He wished to god Samuel had not asked him to share this. It was too painful. Part of him felt like he was here screaming out 'I failed my son'. He knew that was not Samuel's intention, far from it, but it still felt that way.

Wordy's fears and deduction was confirmed. What an absolutely horrendous childhood Sam had. How the hell did he become the honorable, caring protector they all knew? He had so much suffering. His father was right Samuel was an honorable man, one forged in the fires of hell. Sam was going to need them.

He was glad Sam was reaching out to them. Sam should feel no shame or humiliation for what was done to him. He was an innocent. All blame belonged with the dirtbag that preyed on a defenseless child. Nowhere, no how not in any way shape or form should Sam feel any disgrace, he was a survivor. As a little boy he had presence of mind to save himself from that pervert.

Ed was reeling. An image of Clark at eleven came to mind. He was so young and innocent at that age. Hell at sixteen he was still young and innocent. Ed would tear anyone limb from limb if they ever dared to touch Clark. Rage for what Sam had to endure as a little boy set his blood to boiling. He could no longer sit and paced furiously back and forth. Ed shoved his hands in his pockets to avoid putting holes in Jules walls.

Spike sat in shock. Why the hell did all this bad shit have to happen to someone like Sam? Why? There were so many things; Sara, Matt, the drowning, the cliff accident, Plouffe, Qasim, Murphy, Merrill, the redheaded bitch, Vlad, watching many friends die horrible deaths, and now this too. How the hell did his best friend cope with it all?

Shit he was having a tough enough time dealing with the abduction alone. He would go fucking insane if he had to deal with as much crap as Sam had to in his life. His admiration for the man he called brother grew as his mind tried to figure out how Sam coped.

Then a part of Spike began to worry if this would push Sam back to that edge. They had pulled him back once. He decided he was not letting Sam out of his sight until he knew for sure he was not teetering close to the edge. He would not let him fall, ever.

Greg's heart dropped. He turned his head away from the others as tears welled in his eyes. He pursed his lips tightly together. Ah Christ Sam. Thoughts of conversations he had with Sam over the years flitted in and out of his head; so many traumas. No wonder Sam had hidden behind so many masks. It was one of the ways he coped.

His mind began to whirl wondering why Sam was sharing this intensely private and painful piece of his past with the team. There had to be a reason. Sam never did anything without a reason. He had learned that long ago. Did Sam know something no one else knew? An ugly notion started to form could Gaston and Gerard both be pedophiles?

Having lost it a bit after revealing Samuel's painful past the General cleared his throat, turned back to face them again and continued "Samuel only felt it necessary to share this because of details my unit has discovered. It is very likely Gerard Dupont is a serial pedophile but not proven."

"There is a trail of unsolved crimes against young boys mostly that match the dates and places that Dupont has worked. Many of the victims were assaulted in hospitals he worked in. Children already in a vulnerable position were preyed upon by some sick bastard."

"So far there is no evidence to link Dupont to the attacks. The boys involved never saw the face of their attacker. The boys were either too frightened or embarrassed to say anything or said they had been beaten but then didn't remember anything else. A few of them had toxicology reports indicating the boys had Rohypnol in their system.

Ed's previous vibe regarding Gaston being ex-military entered his head. "Wait you keep saying Dupont but you said the attacks happened in hospitals where he worked. We know the brothers lived in different cities. The background on Gerard Dupont indicates he is well liked and a chef with no links to the hospitals Gaston worked at."

Ed started to pace again but then stopped and met the General's gaze "Jesus Christ they swapped identities didn't they?"

All eyes looked at Ed then over to the General. Braddock answered "Yes we believe so. Gerard would never be able to work in the security field with his BCD."

Wordy asked "How can we confirm who is who? I mean I've seen identical twins before but these two take the cake. I could not discern a single difference in their faces. Usually there is at least some small difference."

Greg asked "Could they both be pedophiles? Perhaps Gerard is better at covering his trail than Gaston. Choosing victim that could not be traced to cities he worked in."

A sick feeling started churning in Jules. She looked up at the General "Sam had you tell us because he wants to stop the sicko. You said there was no evidence to link Dupont to the crimes against those children. You must think Dupont would go after him given his vulnerable state. Sam must think that too because of the cameras being repositioned to watch his rooms at the hospital. Sam wants to play bait doesn't he?"

General Braddock clenched his jaw. That is exactly what his son wanted to do. He didn't know if he could allow his son to put himself at such a risk. He would rather break his moral code and shoot the man in cold blood than allow him to get anywhere near Samuel again.

But he could not dissuade his son. This is what Samuel said he needed to heal. Samuel was too damned honorable. Samuel wanted to protect children from Dupont. He wanted the bastard arrested and to rot in jail where he could not harm another child.

Finally the General answered "Yes. Yes that is exactly what Samuel wants. He needs my help and your help to do this."

"NO! No never gonna happen. No way!" Spike yelled. He was angrier than he had ever been in his life. "That is unacceptable risk. Unacceptable. No fucking way that animal gets close to Sam."

Ed said low and deadly calm "Sam and Spike barely survived that sick bastard Vlad. There is no way I am allowing Sam to be in a position that compromises his safety. It will not happen. He is in no condition to be thinking rationally. He is in no condition to defend himself. It's not going to happen."

Greg sat back heavily. He had seen the havoc that could be wrought in the lives of children who had been abused. Knowing Sam as they did this is exactly something he would want to do. He didn't want to put Sam at risk. But what was the greater risk? Let him be bait or allow him to feel helpless and weak and a sense of guilt for doing nothing to prevent others from being harmed the way he was.

He knew Sam well enough to know the guilt of not protecting future victims would eat at Sam. Something like that might drive him to do something rash, like shooting the man in cold blood. With nothing to tie Dupont to the victims Sam would end up in jail convicted of murder. Or worse, Sam would take his own life.

This did not make Greg happy but he stood up and cleared his throat loudly to get everyone's attention. He looked to the General who looked no happier than he and asked "What help does Sam need from us?"

Ed turned on him "You can't be serious Greg."

"No way Boss" Spike yelled.

Jules stood and put a hand on Spike's back trying to calm him. She had accepted when the General started speaking that she would not like it. But whatever Sam needed she would do. "Sam needs your support Spike."

"No. No. There has to be some other way to get the bastard" Spike retorted.

Ed was ready to blow a gasket and aimed his glared at General Braddock "I cannot believe you are even considering this. You left your son alone to be molested and now you want to put him in harm's way when he can't even fucking stand by himself. Hell he can't even lie down without hissing in pain. And you want to use him for bait."

General Braddock steeled his back. The accusation penetrated deep and hit its mark. Guilt rushed out and covered every pore of his body suffocating him but he responded in an icy cool tone "Yes I failed my son. Yes I allowed that bastard to hurt my son. Yes my son screamed and cried for me to save him and I was not there to protect him. But it is not for you to judge me. I do this now because this is the only way I can help my son. I will do anything he asks to silence the screams of my eleven year old son I now hear in my head."

Hard icy anger and resolve imbued every word as Braddock continued "Samuel has finally for once in his life reached out to me. Hell he cried in front of me and begged for my help. I will do whatever he asks of me to help him heal. If he had asked me to kill the man I would have done so without hesitation. But that sir is NOT how my son thinks. Samuel deserves justice. Those other children deserve justice. THAT IS how Samuel thinks. He is willing to do whatever he can to see that justice is served."

Wordy had been quiet to this point and he said into the silence that followed the General's guilt riddled words "Sam's not thinking about justice Sir."

That got the General's attention "What do you mean?"

Shaking his head Wordy stated "Sam feels as guilty as you do. Different but the same. I think what is motivating Sam is that he feels guilt."

Feeling as though he was struck General Braddock asked "What would Samuel feel guilty about? He was the one hurt."

Wordy replied "Think on it. Sam is a protector we all know that. You said the court martial was only for the beatings and for not reporting Sam was gone. You said nothing about the molestation."

Rising from the chair and walking to the General Wordy placed a hand on the General's shoulder "Sam most likely feels guilty that he didn't do anything to stop Dupont from abusing more kids. He feels guilty that he didn't say anything to anyone at the time it happened. He has convinced himself that if he had said something Dupont would have been in prison and unable to attack more kids."

Greg followed that line of thinking "So Sam thinks that by risking himself now to get Dupont that he can atone for some perceived failure on his part. To try and assuage his guilt."

Deflated the General said "But he was only a little boy. Ah shit Sammy you have nothing to feel guilty about. It's all my fault."

The General slumped down into a chair. His hands went to his temples and rubbed hard trying to rid himself of the headache that was building. How could his son feel guilty? There was nothing he could have done. This was his failure it was his guilt to feel, not Sammy's. He had royally screwed up. What should he do?

Jules came up to the General and tentatively placed a hand on his back. Sam's father looked so hurt and lost, so un-General like but so like Sam the other night. She crouched down keeping her hand on his back "He reached out to you. You are here now. You can help him now."

Then Jules looked at the guys who were hanging on her every soft spoken word "We will help too. When Sam wakes up we can all talk. We can make a plan that will keep him safe but allow him to feel he is doing what he needs to do to heal."

She turned to the General and dropped her voice even more so only he heard "This was not your fault, it was Dupont's. It all lies with Dupont. Sam reached out to you. Sam does not blame you. Trust your son. Use this to build the bridge for the relationship you both desperately want."

William turned his head to look at Jules. He saw the sincerity in her eyes. He understood what his son saw in this woman. She was perceptive, caring and strong. She truly was 'Ariel'. God help anyone who tried to hurt someone she cared about. They would be torn apart, she would always protect those she cared about. So like Samuel, they fit together.

He cleared his throat at the emotion evoked by Jules caring for not only Sam but him too. He looked at all the men in the room. Each was clearly trying to process what Jules had said. He saw the looks as decisions were reached. It was apparent they did not like the idea of putting Samuel in danger but their sense of right and wrong made them want to get Dupont before he could inflict more harm.

Looking back at Jules he asked "So how long will those three pills knock him out for?"

Jules smiled "At least three or four hours, especially if he did not sleep last night. Which I'm sure he did not given the dark circles under his eyes."

"Right. So. Next steps. I'm going to contact my unit. Have Shade and Hound maintain surveillance on Dupont. Shakespeare can join us here and we can determine how to proceed. Shakespeare may have already made contact with Detective Jackson. He may have information for us" General Braddock stated resolutely resuming his equanimity.

Greg asked "Detective Sally Jackson?"

"Yes, why?" Braddock asked.

Recalling the Ms. Holmes fiasco, aka the redheaded bitch, Greg only said "I've met her before. She does good work." Greg was unsure if Sam had said anything about that incident to his father and he was not about to add to the man's burdens right now by sharing the details. Besides it was not his place to say anything.

The General call Shakespeare and found out he was meeting with Detective Jackson in an hour. He would call the General back when he was finished and then head over. The General relayed this information to the team.

Everyone was antsy to get started but they needed to wait until Shakespeare arrived and Sam woke up to devise a plan.

Spike was sitting in a chair and his mind was running a mile a minute devising all kinds of worst case scenarios. His knee was bouncing rapidly up and down. Ed took notice and looked at Wordy then Jules. He could tell Spike was stressing out. He knew from experience they needed to distract Spike's thoughts right now.

From his position looking out the window Ed said "Spike did you finish the security system plan?"

Spike's knee stopped bouncing "Yeah."

Wordy stood up "Then let's get busy installing it."

Spike looked at Jules "Do you want a chance to review what I put together?"

Jules smiled at him "Nah, I'm sure that it is great. I trust your expertise." Then she looked at Greg "I'll leave you guys to do that. I'm just gonna shower and then head out to the market. We've got a couple more for lunch it looks like."

General Braddock said "Let me order something in."

"No that won't be necessary. I need to get some things at the market anyways. Running a bit low on coffee and with this crew that could be dangerous. Caffeine withdrawals are not pretty" Jules laughed.

"Then I'll go with you" he responded.

She patted his back again "I think you should maybe just take this opportunity to sit with Sam. I won't be long."

Wordy looked at Greg and he saw the worried look. What if that man was truly stalking Jules? Greg said "When you're ready Jules we can head to the market together. I need to get some things too."

Jules rolled her eyes. She could see it was fruitless to try and get the guys to change their minds. There was no way they were letting her go alone. She smiled as she headed up the stairs these guys could be over-protective and frustrating as hell but it felt nice to be cared about that much too.

* * *

 _ **Outside Jules's Home**_

Logan was vexed. This house was friggin grand central station. Then those guys were now outside her house and it looked like they were installing cameras. Dammit his ponytail had too many protectors.

He was not going to let her get away, protectors be damned, he would not be thwarted. This one was turning into a challenge. It would just make it all the more satisfying when he had her ponytail in his collection.

Logan had watched two men had entered her house today. That was in addition to the other four that had been there last night. That meant there were six guys in there with her.

One of them was in no shape to do anything at all. He was a bit of a pansy, all crying and what not in her lap the other night. Pansy boy had seen him in the window but it was just a short look it was doubtful he had anything to worry about. Another one he had seen outside the other day and now again seemed to have limited mobility of his arms.

But the other four looked quite capable. He wouldn't get through them. And if she was installing a security system he would just have to watch and grab her someplace else. She was bound to leave without her entourage at some point. He warmed to the thought of the challenge this ponytail presented him. He could wait, it would be all that much sweeter in the end.

* * *

 _ **Hospital – Security Room**_

Gerard sat at his desk his elbows on his desk and his head in his hands. He was hungover and his head throbbed. His door opened and a too chipper voice said "Mr. Dupont."

He dropped his hands and looked at the offending security guard. God he hated those equality quotas he had to meet when hiring. Women had no business what so ever doing a man's job. Security was a man's job. "What do you want Ms. Lawrence" he snarled.

Misty Lawrence looked at her new boss with disdain. After Ed Lane had left with the DVD she made she had spoken with Ms. Ridley. Cami she corrected herself mentally. She really liked Cami and she had helped her immensely.

Plastering on a sugary sweet smile and speaking loudly in her chipper voice Misty said "Mr. Dupont I'm here to tell you I'm leaving now. I just finished my last shift. I would normally give more notice but you've been a complete and utter ass to me so screw you."

If Misty could have taken a picture of surprised, florid, angry face of Mr. Dupont she would have. Before he had a chance to say anything she turned and closed the door behind her.

Misty high-fived Cami and said "Thanks Cami. I'm not sure how you arranged for me to be awarded that scholarship but thank you from the bottom of my heart." She gathered her jacket and purse and headed to the outer door.

Cami smiled "You earned it; you are the right person for the scholarship. I expect you to be at the top of your cadet class Misty. The police force is lucky to be getting someone of your caliber. If you need anything just holler."

The outer door closed behind Misty as Dupont's door opened. Cami smirked at the hungover man; such a jackass. She had found that the camera re-positioning had been done by him. Today she was going to take her findings to the Director of the Hospital. By this time tomorrow Dupont would be out of a job.

Gerard's eyes narrowed on Cami trying to be intimidating "Did you know about that?"

Unperturbed by his show Cami glibly answered "Does it matter?"

That enraged him more. How dare she disrespect him? He took a menacing step forward his face livid. Cami held her ground and looked up at him with a blasé disinterested look "Do you need anything Mr. Dupont?"

"I'm going to do rounds. Make sure you do your job and keep an eye on the cameras" Dupont bit out. Oh how he wanted to backhand the bitch. He was going to find some way to fire her for insubordination and lack of respect of his position.

Cami chuckled after the door slammed behind him. What a supreme jackass. She sat down and decided to call Ed and let him know what she found out about the camera re-positioning.

* * *

 _ **Jules's Home – Sam's Room**_

Sam opened his eyes. By the light in the room it was early afternoon. He felt rather than saw someone in the room with him. He turned slowly wondering who it would be but hoping it was his father or Jules. He wasn't quite sure how he was going to face the others yet.

General Braddock smiled as his son turned over slowly "Hello Samuel. Did you rest well?"

"Dad" Sam said a bit tentatively.

"Yes."

"How did it go?" he asked.

General Braddock leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees "About as one would expect it to go son. They were, no are, angry about what happened to you. Just as I am."

"Do they …" he was not sure he wanted the answer to this question so he trailed off.

Understanding what Samuel was asking William answered "No they do not pity you. No they do not think any less of you. Quite the contrary son. You are a survivor. However they are pissed at you."

"Pissed at me? Why?" he queried.

"Same reason I am. You cannot put yourself at risk for the false sense of guilt you feel" the General said sternly.

"Who said I feel guilt" Sam retorted.

The General remained quiet. Sam squirmed inwardly under his father's scrutiny. But he maintained the gaze. Blue eyes locked to blue eyes, each challenging the other to be the first to break.

Sam lost the staring contest and ground out "Fine. Yes I feel guilty. None of those kids would have been harmed if I had just said something back then. You happy now?"

A look of sadness covered the General's face "No not really. I feel guilty too. If I had not left you with him none of this would have happened to you. You would not have been harmed. I'm not going to tell you not to feel guilty. That would be like telling the earth to stop spinning. Not gonna happen."

"But what I will say is that the one person that is really to blame is Gerard Dupont. He has a lot to answer for. I am willing to do all in my power to help you bring him to justice."

"However, I will not risk you to do it. You are as important as any one of the others he has harmed. You are more important to me. Together with your team we can devise a plan to get the bastard."

He held up a hand to stop the comment Sam was about to make "Let me reiterate so you are crystal clear, I will not risk you to get him. Beyond my reasons for not risking you, there are five people outside that door that would have my hide if I allowed that. They all want to help. They understand this is important to you. Will you allow us to help you and keep you safe?"

Sam stared at his dad. His mind had nearly missed all he said after he said he felt guilty too and he wasn't going to tell him not to feel guilty. It sounded like something Dawn would say to him. He had also found when someone told him not to do something he pushed harder to do it.

So when told not to feel guilty about something he always felt it stronger and deeper. His dad was not pushing him to release it. Because of that he would eventually work through it and be able to release it. How did he know not to push him on that?

"Dad, why didn't you tell me not to feel guilty?" Sam asked cautiously.

General Braddock moved to the bed and took his son's hand "We are more alike than either of cares to acknowledge. Whenever someone tells me not to do a thing, then I do that thing with more conviction. It takes me time to deal with my emotions. I keep them quite hidden from most people. I don't like to be pushed. When pushed I clam up. I'm thinking we are alike in those ways son."

"I know you are dealing with raw emotions right now. I won't ask you to talk. But if you ever want to talk I want you to know that I'm here, I will listen and I will not judge. Mostly I want you to know that I love you and I care about you. You are my boy and I am so proud of you."

Sam swallowed hard, smiled then quipped "You're trying to make me cry again aren't you dad?"


	30. Laughter Is Good & Lull Before The Storm

**Laughter Is Good & Lull Before The Storm**

* * *

 ** _Courtyard Toronto Downtown Hotel – Room 237_**

Connor sat on the little couch in his room and stared at the ceiling. He had gotten back very late last night and had slept in but he still felt exhausted. The past weeks had caught up with him and all he wanted to do was sleep for a week. But that kind of sleep still had to be put on hold until he found this Ponytail Killer.

His trip to Brampton had been a bust. No new information had been gleaned. The officers investigating that killing had been very through. He hoped that when Pat and Pat returned this afternoon they had fared better with the only witness.

His mind started wandering as he thought about his daughter. His heart sank. Today would have been her thirty-second birthday. He wondered what her life would have been like had she lived. Would he be a grandpa by now?

Some days, like on her birthday, it hurt badly thinking about her. This case with all the women that looked like her hurt too. In some odd way it felt like his little girl was being murdered over and over. He wanted to catch this degenerate before he could harm another woman and those who loved her.

Out of nowhere the image of Jules entered his mind. She was such a lovely woman. He was glad they found her teammates alive. It would have crushed her if they had not. Then a sickening thought enter his head, Jules fit the profile. Should he warn her? Would she think him batty for doing so?

Connor looked at the clock. He still had several hours before Pat squared were due back. Whether Jules thought he was barmy or not he would feel better letting her know. He would never be able to forgive himself if he did not at least call her and heaven help him if anything happened to her. Maybe she would forgive a numpty old bloke his concern on her behalf.

For purely selfish reasons Connor decided he would rather pay Jules a visit and deliver his message of warning in person. It would be nice to see her once again. Maybe just a wee bit of hurt would go away today if he could spend time chatting with a vibrant woman who looked so like his Alice.

He had no illusions that Jules was Alice. It was just a nice feeling speaking again with someone that looked like Alice and it would be especially nice on Alice's birthday. He phoned Jules to make arrangements to visit.

* * *

 ** _Jules Home – Sam's Room_**

… _. Sam swallowed hard, smiled then quipped "You're trying to make me cry again aren't you dad?"_

General Braddock stared at his son for five seconds as what Samuel said sank in and he saw the light shining in his son's eyes. Christ he loved his son. He could not hold back the booming laughter that erupted from him. Sam joined in. The chasm between father and son was finally connected by a solid bridge of trust.

Laughter, deep rich laughter drew Team One to Sam's room. Jules opened the door to see General Braddock sitting on Sam's bed and the two of them laughing. Sam's laughter was interspersed with soft ows as he held his arm across his ribs.

Spike pushed into the room passed Jules. "Samtastic what's goin on buddy?" He smiled as he headed toward the bed. Greg, Wordy, Ed and Jules all crowded into the room waiting for Sam's answer astonished but pleased at the laughter.

Settling down into a light chuckle Sam answered "Just having a laugh with my dad."

The General winked at Sam and said "Better than a cry my boy."

Sam's eyes reflected his good humor "I don't know about that. Ow. Crying didn't hurt my ribs so much. Ow."

The General reached up and brushed through Sam's hair "Sorry for making you laugh so hard. You need your pain meds?"

Nodding Sam answered "Only one this time. Laughter is good. Matt told me it releases endorphins that reduce pain."

Team One watched in awe as they saw an easiness between father and son they had never expected to witness. Wordy thought through pain comes understanding, acceptance and healing. He was glad to see it. So very glad.

Jules rushed out to get Sam's meds. When she returned she asked "Sam are you hungry? You slept through lunch. I can make you a sandwich."

Sam took his pain pill then glanced at the clock "Maybe later, I'd rather have a shower. Think I have enough time to get one before we have to leave for my checkup?"

"Oh my god I totally forgot that Sam." Looking at her watch she said "If you can shower and dress in twenty minutes you have time."

Under normal circumstances Sam could be done in five. But right now twenty would be a challenge with help and impossible without help. Sam really wanted a shower so he turned to his dad and asked "Can I get a bit of help? I really want a shower."

"Happy to oblige" the General stood and Sam slowly started to work his way to the edge of the bed.

As he sat on the edge he looked up and saw all the guys still in the room. Smiling he chuckled "Uh you guys wanna watch or something?"

Sam started laughing outright again at the awkward horrified looks on Ed, Wordy, Greg and Spike's faces. Their looks turned to amused expressions when they realized Sam was joking with them and they headed out of the room.

Jules looked at Sam with her hands on her hips "Not nice Braddock. Not nice." But she couldn't stop herself from laughing too as Sam wiggled his brows at her. Sam's ability to rebound still amazed her. She headed from the room feeling a lightness she hadn't felt for weeks.

* * *

 ** _Jules Home – Kitchen_**

The guys followed Jules into the kitchen when she stopped in the family room to say she was making something for Sam to take with him. As she packed up the sandwich she looked to Spike and said "I cannot believe that I forgot your appointments today."

Wordy laughed "Not just you. We all did."

Greg stated "So how are we going to handle this? I have to go to the barn. Need to review the temporary replacement personnel files and let Holleran know who to schedule and invite in for trials tomorrow afternoon."

"Connor is coming over here in about thirty or forty minutes. I could call him back and reschedule. Although he did say it was important" Jules added.

She kept to herself that Connor sounded a bit sad today. She wasn't sure why but he sounded a bit more cheerful when she agreed to meet with him. He was a nice man and she was actually looking forward to chatting with him. Connor had done so much for them and this might be the last opportunity to see him before he headed back to Manchester.

Ed pointed out "That leaves me, Wordy and the General to take care of Sam and Spike. It should work."

Wordy interjected "Should Jules be here alone?"

Jules rolled her eyes "Come on guys. It's my house. I'm safe here. Been living alone for quite some time. I know how to take care of myself. Besides you installed the security system."

Spike shifted on his stool "Installed but not fully activated yet. We need to go over some things and show you how it all works Jules. Maybe Wordy or Ed should stay here."

Huffing annoyed Jules growled "Connor will be here shortly after you guys head out. Nothing is gonna happen. The way you're all acting you'd think I was some helpless little girl. Is that what you all think? If so, you'd all better watch out during our next hand-to-hand practice. I'm thinking you'll all be sporting quite a few bruises."

The all chuckled but also eyed her knowingly. Greg understood Jules frustration and tried to placate her "It's just that we care."

Walking to the sink to wash the knife she had used to cut Sam's huge sandwich she retorted still annoyed "I know but you're smothering me. Just like my brothers used to when I was twelve." She turned and fixed each with a scowl "I'm a big girl now. A SRU officer for Christ sake. I think I can handle myself for a few minutes alone in my own home."

She leaned back on the sink suddenly tired. It had been a long few days and even longer few weeks. She felt could really use some time alone to regroup. Jules said in a softer tone "In fact, ya know I could use a few minutes to myself."

The guys realized that Jules had been on the go constantly since Sam and Spike had been taken. Except for the few days she was forced to rest in the hospital.

Ed walked over to her and put his arm around her shoulders "Ok Jules we hear you. Backing off a bit. Maybe keep Connor's visit short. Take a nap when he's gone."

Spike piped up "Or a long soak in a bubble bath. That's what Gina always does to relax. And you need to relax Jules. I can make some quick adjustments to the system before we head out. At least arm the doors."

Jules leaned into Ed a moment drawing strength then pulled away and said to Spike "Nah, just do that when you get back."

"Nope gonna do it before we leave. I can finish the rest when we return but at least the doors will be armed" Spike insisted.

"Fine. Worry warts every last one of you" Jules chuckled.

"Damn straight. And that's why you _looooovesssss_ us so much Jules" Spike quipped exaggerating the word 'loves' as he hugged her. Greg, Ed and Wordy all nodded making funny faces at her.

Jules giggled and rolled her eyes. She thought yes that's one of the reason I love you guys even though it frustrates the hell out of me sometimes.

General Braddock joined them at that moment a bit bemused by the faces on the men. He saw they all quickly resumed normal expressions as he informed them "Sam's in the shower now. Giving him five then heading back in. He should be ready on time."

The General then looked at the large glass cookie jar on the counter and smiled "Are those your famous cookies Jules?"

She grinned "Yeah, help yourself. I should probably pack a couple for Sam too." The General helped himself to one and Jules handed him a refilled mug of coffee too.

Wordy grinned and said "If Sam gets a whiff of Dupont's cologne he can just counter act it by inhaling the scent of the cookies."

General Braddock looked at him oddly "Why would Samuel smell Dupont's cologne? He's just going to the doctor's office."

Ed answered "Sam's checking in with the doctor at the hospital. It was a condition Dr. Fraser insisted on in order to allow Sam to be cared for at home. Sam needs to go there for Fraser to check him over and remove the stitches if all looks good. He also has to meet with the Physical Therapist to do the initial assessment."

"I'm not sure I like Samuel going there. Too close to Dupont. We don't have a plan yet. Samuel would be too exposed" Braddock responded.

Greg offered "Sam won't be alone. Either Ed or Wordy will be with him at all times. And you of course too. Dupont will not have an opportunity to touch him or get anywhere near him. When we get back later we can discuss what Sam wanted to do and figure out something safe."

"And the cookies? What's with the cookies?" the General queried.

A huge grin split Wordy's face "The cookies are magical. Sam's fear began to ebb away the moment he inhaled the aroma." He proceeded to share what he had seen the night Jules brought in the cookies.

General Braddock inhaled and then bit into a cookie as he grinned. The cookies were as good as he remembered. He looked at all the determined and caring faces in the kitchen. Samuel was definitely in good hands with his team.

He nodded "Okay then. I trust you all to keep him safe. Besides Shade and Hound should have eyes on Dupont as well. I'll contact them to let them know Phoenix will be near Dupont."

It was Jules who asked what he meant about 'Phoenix'. The General finished the cookie explaining the code name. The team thought it was appropriate and Greg made a comment that Sam was accruing a large number of nicknames. This set everyone to chortling when Spike insisted that Samtastic was still by far the best nickname.

A few minutes later the General headed back to Samuel's room to see if he was done showering and offer to help him dress if he needed it. As he walked he pulled out his phone to call Shade. He thought as it rung, not only would they have eyes they would have weapons on Dupont just in case. That bastard would not harm his son again if he had anything to do about it.

* * *

 ** _Outside Jules's Home_**

Finally Logan thought as he watched several vehicles leave the house taking all the men from the house. He could now see the pansy boy was actually injured, he couldn't even walk on his own. It took two of them to help him down the steps. But he didn't care about that. What he cared about was that his ponytail was all alone now.

Logan emerged from his hiding place and scurried across the street. He knew how he was getting in. He made his way to the neighbor's house and into their back yard. Once there he climbed over the fence. Part of him wished that it was night time. He preferred to act at night.

After dropping down into ponytail's backyard he sat in the bushes for several minutes listening and making sure the coast was clear. Logan wondered how long the others would be gone. He did so love to do this at night, much better than daylight. The shadows of night made it more special. Maybe he could get in now and hide until later tonight.

Just before he jimmied the lock on the basement window he heard a loud beeping sound. Fuck, in his excitement at the men leaving he forgot she installed a security system. The beeping went on for nearly a minute before it was silenced. He decided to still risk it as the lock popped open. Logan quietly slid the window open. Then he lowered himself into the basement and slid the window closed.

* * *

 ** _Jules's Home - Basement_**

Logan looked around the basement and found several boxes stacked on one end and a furnace and water heater were on the other side. There was a large workbench and a big rolling metal tool chest. Logan thought that was a lot of tools for a woman to own.

However, he dismissed that thought from his mind as he surveyed the rest of the room. He saw a shelf unit with various cans of paint and tools on the third wall. On the far wall next to a large metal double door cabinet were a washer and dryer. The stairs that led down to the basement ended a short distance from the washer.

Logan quietly made his way to the stairs. He was three quarters of the way up when he heard her voice. Ah his ponytail had a lovely voice. Everyone had left, was she on the phone? No dammit. Logan heard the voice of a man with an English accent. When did he get there?

It dawned on him, the beeping. He must have arrived then. Logan edged up the stairs listening. He would need to wait. Not a good thing to go after his ponytail with someone there.

He smiled when he overheard her say she had no plans other than laundry and maybe a bubble bath. The English accent guy told he her wouldn't stay too long then because she looked like she could use a relaxing moment. His eyes flicked to the washer. She would come down to start the laundry.

Logan quietly descended the stairs. Logan looked at the boxes. That would be a good place to wait. He shimmed between them and the wall then crouched down. Leaning his head back he rested against the wall.

It wouldn't be long before he was able to get his ponytail. He got excited anticipating the event. Would she scream and cry or would she freeze like a deer in headlights? He hoped she screamed. He liked it when they screamed.

* * *

 ** _Inside Jules Home_**

With the guys gone Jules decided to change the sheets on Sam's and Spike's beds and wash Sam's favorite comfy pants and shirt. Both had been having nightmares and likely drenching the sheets in sweat. She wanted them to have fresh linens. She had already gathered Spike's and was just finishing remaking Sam's bed when she heard the doorbell. That must be Connor.

Too bad she didn't have time to throw the laundry in the washer in the basement. She dropped her pile of items by the basement door then headed for the front door at the second doorbell ring. Jules checked the peephole. Yep it was Connor. Jules unlocked and opened the door with a smile. "Hello Connor. Come in."

A loud beeping sound went off. Jules punched several buttons on a panel by the door trying to remember the instructions Spike gave her just before he left. Damn thing she thought as she finally silenced the beeping turning off the alarm. "Sorry about that. Forgot to turn it off before I opened the door. Spike just installed the darned thing and I've gotta get used to turning it off."

Connor grinned. It was nice seeing Jules smiling but she looked a little tired still. "Hello Jules. How are you this afternoon?"

"Doing good. How about you?" Jules said as she led Connor into her kitchen.

"Can't complain. How are your guys doing?" Connor asked as he took a seat on a stool.

"They are getting better. They're off to the doctors now for a checkup and their PT evaluations. Would you like a cup of tea? I have Earl Grey or a Green Tea" Jules asked. She made their tea and set out a plate of cookies.

Connor took one and enjoyed it. Bloody good biscuits this woman made. He took a sip of tea then said "Thanks for letting me barge in today. I hope I'm not interrupting something important."

Jules relaxed with her tea enjoying Connor's company and responded "Nothing important. Just some laundry. May take a bubble bath a little later. It would make Spike happy if I followed his suggestion."

Connor chuckled then said seriously "My dear, I know it is rather bad form of me but you do look a bit knackered. Perhaps a long soak with some bubbles would be in order. I hear it is quite relaxing. My Alice was fond of taking them. I won't keep you long today." Then Connor segued into the reason for his visit.

After hearing the details Jules assured Connor she would take precautions. Then the two of them conversed mostly about how the team was doing and the progress Sam and Spike were making. Connor told her about Pat squared joining him and their plans to relocate to Manchester. Then he spoke about Alice and shared that today was her birthday. Connor then expressed his thanks to her for taking the time to chat with him.

When the second cup of tea was finished and Jules stifled a yawn Connor stood up "I should be going now. You take that bubble bath and maybe a short nap. You need to take care of yourself especially when you are caring for others."

At the front door Jules hugged Connor and asked him to keep in touch. She was drawn to the older man. Jules was glad that she was able to be there for him today. She could see he was feeling a little happier as he left. Connor kissed her cheek and said he would most definitely keep in touch.

Jules closed the door and leaned on it. A long soak in hot water was sounding pretty good right now. But first she needed to get the laundry started if Sam was gonna have his comfy sweats for tonight. She pushed off the door and headed for the pile she had dropped by the basement door.

Five steps away from the door she turned around and headed back. Jules locked the door and punched in the codes to the alarm system to arm it. This was going to take some getting used to she thought.

She headed back to the pile, picked up the laundry and opened the basement door. Jules beamed thinking that with the security system installed Ed would head home tonight and she would be able to cuddle with Sam. Jules started down the steps humming a happy tune.

* * *

 ** _Hospital – Security Room_**

Cami had been delayed in calling Ed this morning. The young security guard she was working with to keep watch on the camera positions had brought to her attention problems on the pediatric floor. Someone had tapped into the floor specific cameras that were only to feed to the nurses' desk. The cameras that provided a view directly into the child's room. They were only used when a parent or guardian was not with a child or they suspected abuse by an adult associated with the child.

No other access was allowed. But someone had breached the security firewall and was tapped into those feeds. She had contacted her friend Detective Sally Jackson in the Special Crimes Unit. They were sending over their computer analyst to determine the location of the breach.

Sally had been extremely interested. She said something about unsolved cases against kids in other hospitals. Sally indicated they might have finally gotten a break and identified a suspect. But then she said it was complicated and also confidential because kids were the victims. So Sally would not released any further details.

Based on the little Sally was able to share Cami knew this was bad. She wanted to get to the bottom of it quickly. Her gut was churning and was telling her to handle this without informing Dupont. He would be gone by tomorrow anyways so it was better she handle it.

Cami wondered if this was connected to Ed's request for the tapes. She tried hard to dismiss it as just coincidence because one was related to an adult SRU officer the other tampering was related to kids. However, in her long history as a cop coincidences were rare. But she struggled to see how they were connected.

On the monitor she saw Ed enter the hospital and head to the doctor's exam room. Cami decided that now would be a good time to go talk to him. She headed out for the exam rooms.

* * *

 ** _Hospital_** ** _– Security Room_** ** _– Dupont's Office_**

Gerard needed to calm down. His rounds had just made him angrier as he thought about those damned women. He pulled up the pediatric ward cameras again. He could watch for hours, it always calmed his anger; he liked watching the preteens sleep. He had almost selected his next boy. It was a tossup between Halim Raja and Tsang Kong. He watched their rooms on two of the six images on his monitor.

Halim was admitted after a car accident which killed his dad and left his mom in a coma. Halim only had a minor broken leg but they kept him here because of the emotional trauma of losing his father and because he had no family here yet. His uncle was flying here from India. He wouldn't be here for another three days; more than enough time.

Tsang was admitted because of an accidental fall down the stairs and a resulting concussion and bruised ribs. His parents didn't speak English and it looked to Gerard as though the father was abusive. The fall might not be so accidental. This one might be trickier because the nurses were watching Tsang closer.

As he watched he calmed down until his periphery vision caught the images showing who was entering the hospital. There was a familiarity that struck him. Gerard's eyes snapped to that camera's display. Rage surged. That bastard and his god damned brat were here together. He followed them via cameras on their path through the hospital.

He watched as they entered an exam room. The father pushing his son in a wheelchair and that damned SRU officer waiting outside the room. What was his name again? Ed. Hatred built. He watched as Cami stopped and spoke with Ed. Hatred increased as he saw Ed smile and laugh at something Cami said. He watched as Cami walked away and the General and his sniveling brat exited the exam room.

Gerard followed them via cameras to the physical therapy room. He sat seething with hatred as he saw two other SRU officers join them. He watched as the five of them went into the smaller assessment room. His rage was reaching a peak as he watched that pompous bastard and his brat who had ruined his life laugh and joke with the others.

He wondered what happened when Ed received a phone call and then he and the one called Wordy ran out. But that was after what appeared to be a heated argument from the other two and the General having to physically restrain his snot nosed brat from wheeling out of the room after them. The video feed showed that Ed had yelled something at the one called Spike and pointed at the brat. Spike looked like he wanted to go but resigned himself to stay.

Gerard smiled at all the anger taking place in that room. Whatever it was that happened thoroughly upset the brat. He watched as the brat yelled at the General and continued to try and leave. Spike stepped between them. It looked like he was trying to be peacemaker.

Gerard shot out of his chair. He grabbed his gun from his locked drawer and headed to the physical therapy department. With any luck he could use this altercation to his advantage. He could make it look like a justifiable shooting. He just had to push the right buttons on the General and he could claim fear for his life as a defense.

Then later he could go after the brat. The brat was certainly still in no condition to stop whatever he wanted to do to him. And he had lots of ideas of what he wanted to do to him. It would be like old home week when he got his hands on the brat. But first time to eliminate that bastard General.

* * *

 ** _SRU HQ – Briefing Room_**

Greg had several stacks or personnel files in front of him. He had narrowed down the candidates and created three stacks; no, yes, maybe. The maybe pile he would have Ed review and they would either make it to the yes or no pile. He had enough in the yes pile to hand off to Holleran to start scheduling the groups for tomorrow.

He only had two more potentials to review before he could head out. As he opened a file Winnie popped in. She was smiling. She had been very happy to hear that Spike and Sam were doing well. She missed them both and asked him to tell them to hurry up and get back that it was too quiet around here without their pranks and laughter.

Winnie looked at the necessary piles of personnel files. She hated that Spike and Sam would be out long enough to necessitate temporary replacements but glad that they would indeed make it back. She had been devastated when she had thought Spike was dead. Thinking Sam was dead hurt too but not quite as much as Spike.

Sometimes she thought that she would be tempted to break her rule. But she just couldn't bring herself to do it. She needed balance and their lives were so fraught with danger. Winnie didn't know if she could handle being in a relationship with a cop let alone a SRU officer. But she did enjoy Spike's shy flirting.

Her mind wandering to thoughts of Spike she almost forgot why she had come in "Sarge, Patrick and Patricia are here. They stopped by because they could not contact Connor and they have some information they think he needs. They said it was in relation to that sketch of the stalker that Sam described. Do you want to talk to them?"

Greg nodded "Please send them in"

Patrick and Patricia walked in and shook hands with Greg then Patricia said "Sergeant Parker we have been trying to get a hold of Connor but he is not answering our calls or texts. We know he went to visit with Constable Callaghan today. We have what we believe is urgent information related to our case and it is also related to a sketch of a man that one of your team members described."

Greg looked at them intently "Go on." He motioned to the chairs nearest.

As they sat Patrick picked up "We are working a serial rapist/murderer case with Connor dubbed the Ponytail Killer. We were recently in New York talking to the only eyewitness of one of the murders. The man was intoxicated when he got a look at the murderer. Previously he could only give the barest details. Not enough to run through any database."

Patricia then took over "We have a colleague who has been successful using hypnosis to help witnesses uncover more details. The witness, Mr. Germaine agreed to go under hypnosis and work with a sketch artist. He recalled much more detail, enough to run it through a search."

Greg was hanging onto the serious nature of the conversation but the easy tag team relay of information was a bit amusing as his head turned back to Patrick as he started speaking "We got a hit, a match. It matched the sketch of your prowler. But we still don't have a name or any other information."

His gut started churning as Greg asked "You cannot get a hold of Connor and this concerns you why?"

A look of concern crossed Patricia's face as she reached out and grabbed Greg's hand "We texted Connor with our information. We expected to hear right back from him. When we didn't we called him. Connor always answers his phone but he hasn't. The thing that is most disconcerting is the Ponytail Killer's MO. He only targets petite brunettes who wear their hair in ponytails. Just like Jules."

She opened the case file showing him the before pictures of the victims.

All color drained from Greg's face as he pulled out his phone and dialed Jules. It rang six times then went to voicemail. He was up and at Winnie's desk within seconds "Winnie which team is available?"

The urgency in his tone had Winnie immediately answer "Team Two just finished a call. They are headed back in."

"Get them to Jules house now. What channel is Team Two on?" Greg ordered and asked.

"Channel three" Winnie called out to Greg's back as he headed to the armory.

He called over his shoulder "Tell Sergeant Bradley I'll brief him as soon as I get a headset."

Pat squared raced after Sergeant Parker. On his way to the armory Greg dialed Ed "Eddie get Wordy, get back to Jules house now. Team Two is enroute. The prowler is a serial rapist and murderer that targets women fitting Jules description. Neither Jules nor Connor is answering their phones. On my way too. Leave Spike and Sam with the General."

* * *

 ** _Outside Jules's Home_**

Connor had just gotten into his car when he realized he left his phone on Jules kitchen counter. He got out and headed back to the door. He knocked. No answer. He rang to doorbell. No answer. Maybe she was already upstairs running her bubble bath.

He tried the door. Locked. Good girl he thought. He rang the doorbell several times hoping to get her attention. He was startled when he thought he heard a muffled scream. Connor put his ear to the door straining to hear. He banged loudly on the door. Then put his ear back to it.

There it was again. Then he heard a loud crashing sound. Connor stepped back. It had been years and years since he was a beat cop. He wasn't armed but something was definitely up. He took a deep breath and kicked the door as hard as he could just to the side of the door handle. It flung open as the door jab splintered where the locks were.

Loud beeping sounds emitted from the alarm. Over it Connor bellowed "Jules."

He heard another loud crash coming from the basement followed but grunts and groans. He rapidly looked for something to use as a weapon. He found a large umbrella in the stand by the door. He grabbed it and ran for the basement. He could hear the sounds of a vicious fight taking place down there.

Jules was in trouble. Connor was not going to allow anything bad to happen to Jules, especially not on Alice's birthday.


	31. Don't Mess With Jules

**Don't Mess With Jules**

* * *

 ** _Jules's Home - Basement_**

Logan heard his ponytail coming down the stairs. So petite, she was finally his for the taking. This was going to be so easy, it always was. That's why he liked the petite ones. They couldn't do much to him. He was so much bigger than them. Their struggles were as effective as a fly trying to get off of sticky flypaper. Useless. Ponytail was his whether she struggled or not.

He watched the slight sway of the ponytail as she bounded down the stairs her arms loaded with laundry. Ponytail was humming a song. Logan watched enthralled for a few moments before slipping quietly out of his hiding place. As he moved forward she opened the washer and put the clothes in.

She was in a good mood. Things would be more normal now. Not that things were ever normal per say but Sam and Spike were healing. Recalling Sam's laughter made her smile. Part of her had worried it was a mask. But just before they left for the doctors he had whispered to her that he would be alright because he could face anything with her in his life. Oh and that he planned on talking to Dawn when she was well enough to meet.

Jules brushed her fingers over her lips remembering the sensation of his lips on hers. Sam had even stolen a quick kiss. He was a bit brazen doing that when they could be caught. But she was happy nonetheless. She was looking forward to being held in his arms tonight. Jules tossed the laundry into the machine and closed the lid. She started to reach for the detergent.

Vice-like arms wrapped around Jules and trapped her arms at her side. In that instant she became sixteen years old on a dark street heading home and being grabbed from behind and pulled into bushes. Her pants yanked down and being assaulted. Fear raced through her as inside her head she fearfully screamed 'no not a gain, please not again'.

Logan wrapped his arms around her and leaned his head down near her ear. He was disappointed that his ponytail did not make a sound. He wanted to hear her scream. He did however feel her tense with fear; every muscle was taut. At least she was scared, that would have to suffice for no screams. His hot putrid breath hit her neck as he said "My ponytail. Time to have some fun. I've waited days for you."

It took only two words to cut through her fear 'my ponytail'. The son of a bitch Connor had just warned her about was here. Her internal dialog changed from a fearful 'please not again' to a strong, confident 'NEVER AGAIN!'

Jules whipped her head backwards making contact with the man's nose. He screamed in pain. She was sure she had just broken his nose; served him right. It would be the first of many pains he would experience for daring to attack her.

In the next instant she jumped both feet so they were flat against the washer in front of her and pushed as hard as she could off of it. Her action propelled them both backwards just as his arms were loosening to grab for his nose. Off kilter they careened to the side and his back was slammed into the corner of the workbench while Jules's elbow rammed as hard as she should muster in her trapped position into his solar plexus.

He screamed again then groaned and grunted in pain. The arms squeezing her loosened enough that she was able to slip down and out of them. As she rounded on him her foot stomped down hard on the top of his foot. It would have been more painful if she was wearing her SRU boots instead of her soft house slippers. Jules moved to put some distance between them.

Logan was stunned; ponytail was fighting him and causing him pain. She was too petite to cause him harm, how did she do it? His long arm snaked out just in time to seize her arm. She would pay for the pain she caused. He twisted it hard as he spun her back around and pulled her back to his chest. His other large meaty hand landed on her jeans and groped at her front between her thighs. "Ponytail likes it rough. You know you want this. Don't fight me unless you want me to make it real painful."

Jules gasped in pain as her arm was wrenched behind her and up. His hand had a crushing strength to it and her wrist hurt. Not to mention her shoulder as he nudged her arm higher in the back. God she hoped it didn't dislocate.

His disgusting breath was too close again. The motions of the hand on the apex of her legs sickened her. Her resolve grew. This man would pay for touching her there. She laughed out disdainfully "Don't fight you? You haven't seen fight yet."

Her foot slammed down on his foot again. His grip loosed slightly and she twisted around then kneed him in the groin. Jules curled her hands into tight fists and hit him twice with all her might as he bent over dealing with the pain in his balls. She hit him once with an upper cut to his jaw and once in his eye. He screamed out in pain again.

She peddled backwards several steps after landing the hits trying to put space between them. Logan lurched forward. Again he managed to grab her as she turned to run towards the stairs.

Jules was yanked backwards by her ponytail. With the momentum of him falling forward and she being off balance due to the yank backwards Jules fell to the ground and the man fell on top of her.

Her head hit the ground with a thud and white hot pain burst in her head as stars danced in front of her eyes. She more heard than felt when her forearm snapped as the man landed on top of her. It was a gross sound but adrenaline was coursing through her veins thankfully alleviating the pain.

When the stars had dissipated some she found he was ripping at her clothes. Her shirt was in tatters and wide open. Her flimsy bra was torn off by the time her wits were unscrambled by the blow to the head. She bucked underneath him trying to dislodge him. He laughed as one open hand slapped her face hard and the other hand was trying to undo her jeans button.

She barely heard his grunted words "Gonna enjoy this rough ponytail."

Connor could not believe what his eyes showed him as he ran down the stairs. That bloody bastard was hurting Jules. That girl had gumption and skill. But she was no match for his size and weight. He took the long umbrella and swung it like a cricket bat with all he had and aimed for the SOBs head. The cracking sound it made as it connected with the side of the man's head was nauseating.

Logan roared in pain as something hit his head. He turned and saw an old man in a tweed jacket and bow-tie wielding an umbrella. For a moment he thought he was seeing things. But then he saw the umbrella swinging at him again. He ducked just in time to avoid another hit. Well at least another hit from the umbrella. He screamed again in pain as the palm of ponytail's hand made contact with his nose sending spurts of blood everywhere.

Jules landed her palm heel to his nose. She had recognized that Connor had arrived. Briefly her mind asked 'where did he come from?' But quickly she used the man's distraction against him and landed her hit to his nose.

When he rolled to the side in pain she scrambled out from underneath him gaining her feet quickly. She landed two solid kicks to his ribs. She was aiming for his head next but he rolled away in the fraction of a second before her foot could hit its mark.

As he staggered to his feet Logan pulled a very large and lethal looking knife from a sheath at his waist. Logan sneered "Not getting away ponytail."

Breathing in small gasps and cradling her broken arm close to her body Jules warily watched as the man eyed her with something akin to possession. It totally creeped her out and he was between her and her escape up the stairs. In her periphery vision she was trying to locate a weapon, where was her hammer? She caught sight of Connor as he edged toward the workbench.

Logan leered at his ponytail. He was armed. Ponytail was not. He would win. Ponytail would not. Umbrella man would die too for hitting him. The old man was no match for him. He lurched forward at her with his knife held low and ready to strike and his other arm out front to grab her.

Jules had a fraction of a second to react. She read the intent to attack in his eyes before he actually moved. She registered Connor reaching for something on the workbench as she moved toward the bastard with the knife.

She remembered her training with Sam. He had shown her several techniques to use when dealing with a subject with a knife. They seemed counter-intuitive but he insisted they worked in the real world because no one expected it.

He also gave her one of his lopsided boyish grins and told her the technique had saved his life a time or two in the desert. He claimed Ripsaw was the best at hand-to-hand combat and he had taught him these techniques. So Jules allowed her training to take over and do what her rational mind screamed not to do.

Jules moved towards the man instead of away. She step to the side and reached out for the unarmed hand. He did not expect her to move forward. The surprise was evident in his face. Jules grabbed his unarmed wrist and twisted as she spun away from him throwing him off balance.

She watched as the momentum of his lunge propelled him forward and the twist of his arm turned him and he fell towards the ground. There was an agonizing scream of pain as he hit the ground. He rolled to his back and Jules saw that the huge knife had plunged to the hilt into his groin and upper thigh. Blood poured from the wound at an alarming rate.

Dizziness was overtaking her and Jules was slowly collapsing to the ground as Logan ripped the knife out. More blood poured out. Logan lifted his head and attempted to hurl the knife at her. But instead of it flying towards her it clattered harmlessly to the ground. Her body now sitting on the ground Jules tried to figure out why as she stared at his shocked face.

In her concussed state it took a few seconds to process what she saw. Connor was just to the side of her with something in his hand. As the attacker's head started its final descent to the ground she became aware of three nails protruding from his forehead smack dab between his eyes.

The roaring sound in her head was becoming overwhelming. Jules felt her upper body starting to fall backwards. She was a bit surprised when she did not feel the whack of her head on the cold hard cement floor. Instead she felt softness. Just before her eyes rolled back in her head she connected with Connor's caring eyes.

Connor was shaking as he cradled Jules in his arms. It would not stop. When the man pulled the knife he thought she was going to die. His hand gripped the first tool he found on the table. Fear seized him as she moved forward instead of running from the man. Whatever possessed her to move forward into the knife?

Whatever her reason to do it, it was the right move to make. Counter to what any sane person would do but the right action in this case. The more Connor thought on it, that move saved her life. Shock was setting in as he recalled seeing the nail gun in his hand and simply raising it and firing it three times as the man yanked the knife from his wound. He could not allow Jules to die; especially today of all days.

Connor looked down at the battered woman in his arms. She fought like a tigress. He reached down and pulled her torn shirt closed as best he could to preserve her modesty. He realized he needed to get help. To get help meant he would have to let go of her and lay her down. He was struggling with that necessity and his desire to just hold and comfort her as he heard several heavy footsteps above.

His mind wondered if the steps belonged to more attackers but then realized it must be her team returning from the doctor appointments as he heard the word 'clear' several times. Making sure Jules was covered he called out "Down here. Help. Jules needs medical help."

* * *

 ** _Outside Jules's Home_**

Greg was astounded when he and the Pat's arrived at Jules home within seconds of Ed, Wordy and Team Two. Ed took command when they saw Jules's door wide open and the door jab splintered. Wordy, Ed and Greg armed themselves with extra weapons Team Two carried.

The Pat's stayed near the SUVs and watched as the men geared up. Patrick informed them that Connor was indeed here because his rental car was across the street. They both listened to the tactical plan Ed quickly laid out. Team Two ran to cover the back and sides of the house as Ed, Wordy and Greg moved in cautiously through the front door.

Patricia prayed that both Connor and Jules were okay. She turned to her husband and buried her head in his chest "Please, please, please let us not be too late" she begged softly. Patrick gently stroked her hair as he held her tight silently pleading the same thing.

* * *

 ** _Jules's Home – Ground Floor_**

Wordy, Ed and Greg quietly entered the house not wanting to startle the intruder before they knew the situation. Ed motioned with hand signals. Together they cleared the family room then Sam's bedroom and bathroom. After they cleared the kitchen Ed motioned to head up the stairs.

They were three steps up when they heard Connor call out "Down here. Help. Jules needs medical help."

The guys stared at each other for a split second before racing for the basement. Greg instructed Winnie over the headset to get EMS here pronto.

* * *

 ** _Jules's Home - Basement_**

Ed led the way down the steps followed by Wordy and Greg. None of them stopped moving until they were all on their knees surrounding Jules. Each had quickly taken in the dead man lying in a pool of blood and three nails sticking out of his head. They also saw Connor on the floor shaking like a leaf and holding Jules carefully in his arms.

They holstered their weapons and Greg's and Ed's sole focus was Jules. Her face was pale and there was a bright red hand print on her cheek. Greg gently took her from Connor's arms and laid her on the floor but cushioning her head in his hand. They all noted the state of her shirt. Greg's eyes met Ed's in silent communication.

Ed was on his feet in a flash and he headed to the washer and dryer. He had seen clean laundry stacked on the dryer as he had scanned the room coming down the stairs. He grabbed two folded towels from the top of the dryer. Racing back to Jules he sank to his knees again. He draped one over her torso covering her completely. He placed the other one under her head.

Wordy watched but he helped Connor to lie down. The man was definitely in shock. He was shaking uncontrollably, his pulse was rapid and his eyes were glassy and far away. Wordy took in the scene more fully. Jules had fought, fought hard.

Through chattering teeth Connor said "Proud of her. So proud. Lioness. Tigress. Saved herself." His eyes losing a bit of the faraway look he was watching Wordy as he said "Never killed anyone before. I had too. The knife. He was throwing the knife. Couldn't let him kill Alice. Not on her birthday."

Ed looked over at that "Did he just call Jules Alice?"

Greg said "It's the shock talking. They do look strikingly similar."

Ed just nodded and looked at the man lying in a pool of blood. So much blood. The knife must have hit the femoral artery. The nails were just icing on the cake. He would have to remember to let Connor know he still had not killed anyone. The man would have bled out in mere minutes and from the amount of blood that is what killed him.

Wordy placed a hand on Connor's arm "It's okay. You did good. Jules is alive. Thank you for being here."

Connor looked over at Alice lying on the floor. Wait no that is Jules. Jules. Lovely Jules. He looked back at Wordy "Think Jules's arm is broken. Heard it snap." He pointed to Logan "I don't know how but she did all that with a broken arm."

Greg smiled sadly at the woman he who was the daughter of his heart and said "He didn't know you don't mess with Jules." He stroked her hair "You did good Jules. Hang on sweetie. Help is coming. Rest now we've got you."

Ed growled out softly angry at himself "Not that she can't handle herself. But we shouldn't have left her here alone."

Wordy was about to respond when Bradley called out that EMS was here and heading down. It was a whirlwind of activity as they secured Jules and then Connor onto backboards and carried them to gurneys in the kitchen. From there they rushed them to the ambulances. Greg went with Jules and Patricia went with Connor.

Ed and Wordy spoke to Bradley ensuring he would secure Jules home and deal with the scene. Then they and Patrick followed the ambulances. As Wordy drove Ed pulled out his phone to call Spike to give him an update. It rang and went to voicemail. Damn Sam must still be raging at not being able to come.

* * *

 ** _Hospital – Physical Therapy Main Room_**

Dupont entered the main room of the physical therapy department. He saw all the patients and therapist gawking at the assessment room as loud angry words were being hurled back and forth between three men. Dupont smiled this would work out just fine.

He turned his wicked smile into a serious expression. Showing them his gun he ordered "I'm Gerard Dupont, Head of Security. I need everyone out now. I will deal with this situation. For your safety please leave the room now."

Dupont watched the flurry of activity as patients and therapists all moved quickly to exit the room. He raised his gun and slowly headed towards the assessment room. He had to act quickly the heated argument was growing quiet. He needed it to be loud for his excuse for shooting to stand up in court.

So focused on the assessment room Dupont did not see the one man that did not leave the main therapy room. Nor did he see the man that had followed him all the way from the security office to the physical therapy department.

* * *

 ** _Hospital – Physical Therapy Assessment Room_**

Sam was still yelling at Spike and his father "We have to go. We have to go now."

Spike was between the two men trying to calm Sam. The General yelled back "What are you going to do? You cannot even stand. You need to take care of yourself. Trust your team to help Jules."

"But you don't understand. It's Jules. I cannot sit and wait. I have to be there" Sam yelled back.

Spike tried "Sam, you know Ed, Wordy and Greg will do whatever is necessary. Calm down please."

Tears burst "But it is Jules. God dammit I'm not there to protect her." He slammed his hands down on the arms of the wheelchair. The reverberations sent shock-waves of pain through his shoulder. He didn't care.

"She can take care of herself, you know that. We've all had the bruises to prove that" Spike tried a bit of levity. But even he was not feeling it. His sense of dread and wanting to be there too was hard to clamp down on. But Sam would hurt himself if he did not calm down. Ed explicitly told him Sam was his priority before he left. It was his job to protect Sam.

The General watched his son struggle to calm down. Jules in danger rattled his son to the core. He had lost all sense of rational thought. Samuel's feelings were quite visible for all to see. He loved that woman. "Samuel, Jules is fearsome. Did I tell you her code name was Ariel? It means lioness of God. I'm sure all will be okay."

Sam looked at his father a choked sob came out "You don't understand."

"What don't I understand?" He asked with care dropping his tone and crouching down to Samuel's level.

An expression of agony on his face Sam ground out "I'll die. I'll die without her. If anything happens to her I'll die. I cannot live without her."

General Braddock reached out to comfort his son but Sam pulled back and yelled "Don't. Please don't touch me. I don't deserve comfort. I failed Jules again. I'll die without her."

The General sadly dropped his hand to his side and stood "Samuel I know what you are feeling right now. Nothing I say will change that. It's how I felt every time you were hurt and I wasn't able to be there to protect you. It is in our blood. But I trust your team to take care of her today. Don't write her off yet my son. It's Jules were are talking about. She is strong and capable. If that man is after her he won't be expecting what she can do. He won't know what hit him."

Sam let his father's words sink in. He was right of course. So was Spike. Jules was strong. He was projecting his own weakness and incapacity onto Jules right now. If that bastard was after her he would learn that she was no easy target. Jules would fight him and make him pay. His beautiful Jules was just as his father's code word described.

He calmed a bit realizing that Jules had help coming. Men who could actually do something to assist her at the moment rather than sit and watch. Men that would do all in their power to save her.

Thinking back to their night of his attempted break-ins, Sam's mind eased slightly. Jules could protect herself. She had shown him she was capable. She had aptly demonstrated 'you don't mess with Jules'.

He swiped at the tears and said "Code named Ariel?" His father nodded and then smiled glad that his son was finally calming down. He had seriously worried Samuel would try to walk out of here and finding that he could not stand would have crawled out of here to get to Jules.

Now that Samuel was calming he hoped with all his heart that Jules was okay. Because he could see that his son was not joking. His son would quite literally die if Jules did. He stood and took a few steps backward and shared a look of relief with Spike.

Sam smelled him before he saw him. He caught the flash of metal reflected from the sun shining in the window. Using his good leg Sam launched himself from the wheelchair at his dad as the room exploded with the sound of a single gunshot.


	32. Dupont's Downfall & Sam's Pound of Flesh

**Dupont's Downfall & Sam's Pound of Flesh**

* * *

 ** _Hospital – Security Room_**

Cami had just gotten back to the security room and was about to go in when her friend Detective Sally Jackson and two men approached. Sally called out "Cami long time no see."

She gave her a quick hug then introduced the men "This is Timothy Clarkson my best computer analyst he is here to determine where the breach is coming from. I'd also like to introduce you to Royce Duffy. Royce is a teacher at Braymount Preparatory. He has been instrumental in identifying and bringing to justice several child abusers."

Cami shook both men's hands and said "Nice to meet you both." The computers are in here." She was about to open the door to the security office.

Sally stayed her hand "This is important. Is your boss Mr. Dupont in that room?"

Cami answered "He was when I left. He's been holed up in his office most of today. He's in a foul mood. I'm glad today will be the last day he is with us. I was able to determine some camera re-positioning was done by him. I'm just getting back from rounds after letting my old friend Ed Lane know that thanks to his request for videos of his officer's room we nailed that creep. The Hospital Director will be firing him today for that severe break in hospital privacy policy."

Timothy asked "Can I go in and get started?"

Sally replied to Timothy "In a moment Timmy we don't want to show our hand just yet."

That had Cami wondering "Show your hand?"

Duffy spoke up "Yes Ma'am. We suspect Dupont to be behind the breach in security with the pediatric cameras." He looked to Sally questioning how much he could say. She gave him a nod indicating go ahead. "We have evidence we believe links him to a long string of unsolved cases against children. We strongly believe he is a serial pedophile. His name is not Gaston Dupont."

"I've seen his picture from his previous employers he looks just like him. You mean we have an impostor? What happened to the real Gaston Dupont?" Cami asked.

Shaking his head at his last statement Duffy clarified "I'm sorry he is not an impostor. Well he is sort of but not really. He is simply not Gaston Dupont; he is Gerard Dupont, Gaston's identical twin brother. They swapped identities nearly twenty years so Gerard could work in security."

Cami was confused "So Gaston is really Gerard. Gerard is suspected as a serial pedophile. You believe he is behind the pediatric camera security breach. But we caught him re-positioning camera and watching an adult. One of Ed's officers named Sam Braddock. Wait. Why couldn't Gerard work in security and why do you suspect him?"

Duffy shared "Because Gerard Dupont was ejected from the Army with a BCD nearly twenty years ago. He was court martialed for hitting my commanding officer's child and not reporting the child ran away for twelve days. The child nearly died from dehydration and exposure. We suspected the child was assaulted but we had no evidence so did not bring those charges against Dupont at the time."

He saw the confused look on her face so he added "Master Corporal Royce Duffy, retired. I was in charge of providing tutoring services for several Officers' children before retiring and going to work for Braymount Prep. We need to nail this bastard."

Cami's years as a cop made it easy for her to read between the lines. Even though Duffy never gave away the gender of the child, the years since the BCD and the fact that Sam Braddock was the son of General Braddock connected the two incidents in her head.

She stated "Let me pop in and see if he is still in his office. If he is I can draw him away so Timothy can go in and start the analysis. If he has been attacking children that long and getting away with it he must be one devious bastard. I'd love to help you get this scumbag and put his sorry butt in jail for the remainder of his life."

Opening the door to check if Dupont was in his office Cami was met with a frantic young security guard on the phone with 911. "Yes that's right. One shot fired. He is still armed. He's in the physical therapy department on the ninth floor." Cami's eyes landed on the monitor the guard's eyes were on.

Exiting the office Cami urgently asked "Sally are you armed?" Sally nodded. "Good. Follow me. Dupont just fired on someone in physical therapy. 911 was called but he is still armed we need to hurry."

Sally pointed to Timothy and the then to the security office "Go, get the evidence we need to nail this bastard."

Duffy poked his head in the security office and eyed the monitor. Shit. He ran to catch up with Cami and Sally and just barely made it into the elevators as the doors closed. He spoke quickly "There will be two other men armed close by if not in the room by now. They are not hostile and they are here to provide protection."

Cami asked "Protection for whom?"

Given the situation was in the public eye now he sighed and said "Sam Braddock, General Braddock's son. He and the General are the ones Dupont is holding at gun point."

The light dawned on Sally Jackson as she put two and two together. She remembered Sam from a terrible stalking incident years ago. My goodness, Sam was the child Duffy refused to name. Oh no not again. No wonder Sam reacted the way he did after the Holmes incident.

That redheaded witch wasn't the first one to assault him. Different types of predators but geezus poor guy. She kept her thoughts to herself. No sense in adding to Sam's misery by broadcasting what she knew happened to him.

* * *

 ** _SRU HQ – Dispatch Desk_**

Winnie rubbed her temples trying to relieve the headache that was building. She had just acknowledged Sergeant Bradley's notice that Team Two handed off the scene to patrol officers as was now available again. She was very worried about Jules.

Her direct line from 911 rang. She answered and was given the details for the transferred call. Winnie called out "Team Two Hot call. Single shot fired. Potential of three hostages. Location is St. Simons Hospital, physical therapy department assessment room on the ninth floor. The subject is Gaston Dupont, head of security. No further details."

Winnie heard three distinct well known voices yell of "Shit" over the headset.

Ed, Greg and Wordy heard Winnie's call to Team Two as they all still had their headsets on. Ed called out "Greg you stay with Jules in the ER. Wordy and I will head to the ninth floor. We are pulling in now."

Greg said "No, They already took Jules to x-ray. She's safe in the ER. I'm heading up now. The hostages have to be Sam, Spike and General Braddock. Dupont has gone off the deep end. There are too many people he could injure we need to contain the situation. Bradley what is your ETA?"

Bradley responded "Five minutes. Curtis pull up the blueprints of the hospital's ninth floor and when you send them include Ed, Wordy and Greg."

"Copy Sarge" Curtis answered and stole a glance at Mike who was driving. He saw Mike's knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel. He asked "You okay Mike?"

Mike answered "Yeah, just Jules now Spike and Sam again. When will this shit stop happening to Team One?"

Ed called out "Bradley it would be a good idea if you could locate a Sierra location. The assessment room had a large bank of windows. It might be useful."

Bradley responded "Sure thing, Curtis?"

"On it Sarge. I'll have location for Mike before we get there." Curtis responded.

Winnie chimed back in "More details. Be advised there are two more armed men in the physical therapy department." A small note of surprised was noted in Winnie's voice as she relayed "Apparently they are there as protection for Sam. The information comes from someone named Royce Duffy and verified by retired police captain Camilla Ridley."

Ed and Wordy shared a knowing look; the General's men. Ed huffed out a response as he raced inside the hospital "Those guys must be the ones the General said were watching Dupont."

* * *

 ** _Hospital_** ** _– Physical Therapy Assessment Room_**

The odor had assaulted him. This time instead of fear it brought rage. Then he had seen the reflection. The bastard was aiming at his dad. Sam was not going to let Dupont take another thing from him. The bastard had already taken his innocence and screwed with his childhood resulting in the distance with his father. He had just gotten his dad back completely this morning. He wasn't going to lose him again.

Pushing with his good leg he used every ounce of strength he could muster to propel himself into his dad. He slammed into him hard. Sam hit so hard that both of them careened wildly to the ground. In the process of the fall they knocked into Spike and sent him sprawling too.

General Braddock had no idea what hit him. A solid mass hit his chest and sent him flying backward. William heard a loud report as he crashed into Spike on his way down to the floor. His head and back struck the wall behind him and all the air was knocked out of him.

Something heavy landed on top of him further knocking the wind from him. He vaguely thought it was raining as he was showered with glistening little pellets. The General struggled to get air into his lungs.

Spike saw Sam move his good foot onto the floor. He saw him grip the arms of the wheelchair. He thought he was in pain based on the half second flash he had of Sam's face. But then he was falling. The General slammed into him and his head whacked the window behind him. As he slid to the ground he watched with fascination and thankfulness both as pellets of glass rained down on all of them.

It was fascinating to see all the colors of the rainbow reflected in the little pellets. He wondered slightly if the colors were actually generated from the sun or from the burst of pain that was rampaging through his head. He was cognizant enough though to be thankful that the hospital window was made of safety glass as it fell harmlessly on him. Otherwise he would have a myriad of small cuts instead of a fascinating light show.

His mind was just starting to wonder what the hell caused Sam to jump his father when he saw Sam roll and spring into a crouched position. How the hell was he standing, no crouching like that? What the hell was going on? Then he saw Dupont and the gun. Oh Shit.

Hound and Shade had drawn their weapons as Dupont entered the assessment room. As they quickly moved to follow Dupont into the room a shot rang out. Damn, Dupont was behind a pillar. Neither of them had a clear shot at Dupont. Both saw as Sam rolled and then assumed a crouched position. They quietly moved to get into a better position each going a different direction.

When he hit the floor landing squarely on his dad's chest Sam rolled. Adrenaline coursed through him. He felt no pain. Sam rolled off his father; injuries forgotten he assumed a crouched attack position. His eyes locked on Dupont's. That man was dead. Dupont was not going to harm another person. He was going to kill the bastard. Consequences be damned.

Dupont could not believe his eyes. Just seconds before he fired at the General the brat launched himself at the General. How the hell did he do that? How did he know? As they were falling Dupont smiled when he saw Spike's head crash into the window. It was a hard enough hit to daze the man. His grin widened as he heard the General's head hit the wall with a solid whack. Again he would be dazed enough not to interfere.

Gerard started to stride forward as the brat began to roll off his father. Easy pickings he thought. The brat would likely just roll around crying, all weak and sniveling like he did as a boy after he had kicked him in the stomach. He stopped short when the brat gained his feet and was crouched ready to attack or defend.

The malice he saw when he connected with the brat's eyes unnerved him. Damn he would not get to play out his plans for the brat. Second best was to kill him. He should've done it years ago. He could claim the brat attacked his father with no provocation and he had to fire. As he started forward again he raised the gun pointing it at Sam getting ready to fire again.

Gerard laughed "Ready to die now brat? You should've died in that burnt out house you were hiding in all those years ago."

Seeing the flash in Sam's eyes he couldn't help himself. He bragged "Yeah I knew you were there the first night you ran away. Figured you'd die if I left you there, especially when I took most the food and water from you when you fell asleep that first night. But I couldn't help myself. You were my first boy and I just couldn't bring myself to do it then. But now?"

Sam saw red. The bastard was almost within his range. A fraction of a second more was all he needed. He saw the gun raising. He didn't give a damn. Dupont might get off a shot but he was still going to kill the monster. There. Close enough now. Sam launched himself at Dupont as another shot rang out.

No one, not Shade, Hound, Spike or the General had time to react before Sam launched himself at Dupont. They watched stunned as Sam flew at Dupont as the sound of gunfire reverberated in the room for a second time.

They all heard a sickening pop as Dupont's leg bent the opposite direction when Sam slammed his shoulder into Dupont's knees. The two of them crashed to the floor rolling as Dupont screamed in pain as his knee snapped. Sam ended up on top.

Sam straddled Gerard's waist. They made eye contact. Sam growled low and deadly "You're dead you sick son of a bitch" as his fists clenched. Justice would be meted out like-in-kind. He was gonna beat this shithead to death with his bare hands for all the pain he had caused him and so many children.

Gerard could not believe that the sniveling, weak, brat was on top of him. His hand finally gripped the gun again. But the gun was forgotten as the feral animalistic eyes bored into him with a singular purpose; murder. Dupont froze in fear as he realized he had misjudged the brat. He was as much a badass as his father was; maybe even more.

Shit. Dupont knew then with certainty he was dead. The first punch struck his jaw and pain ricocheted through his head. He felt the agonizing bite of the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh punches as they landed on his face. But then the world began to get fuzzy as pain, ungodly pain pulsated in his head. Unconsciousness claimed him as the next punches were landed.

Shocked motionless for several seconds Spike watched as Sam launched at Dupont. Then he was looking to his right at the wall between him and the General. A mere six inches separated their heads. His eyes widened as he saw the bullet hole in the wall between them. Three inches either way and one of them would have been dead. He turned to see Sam's first punch land. He was gaining his feet at the same rate as the General.

The General was on his feet at the same time as Spike. He had to stop Samuel. He knew without a doubt that unless stopped Samuel would beat the man to death. He could not let that happen and allow that to be on Samuel's conscience.

It was also the same time that Ed, Greg, and Wordy arrived in the room with their guns drawn having heard the gunshot. Shakespeare, Cami, and Sally all made their way in behind them. They were stunned by the vicious growling sounds and ferocity of the punches landing on Dupont's face.

Spike and General Braddock reached Sam at the same time as Hound and Shade. The General yelled "Stop Samuel. Stop. You are killing him. Stop. That's an order. STOP. NOW."

Sam was too far gone to hear words. The satisfying feeling of his fists slamming into Dupont was too powerful. A lifetime of pent-up rage and hurt was fueled by the smell of lime, musk and cedar that invaded his olfactory receptors. Sam was going to get his pound of flesh from the man that hurt him and so many children. The man that left him for dead. The man that just tried to kill his dad.

It took the General, Spike, Hound, Shade, Wordy and Ed to pull Sam off of Dupont. They had to forcefully restrain him from going back at Dupont. They all saw the deadly laser point focus Sam maintained on Dupont as he was hauled off. Sam was breathing in rapid short gasps every muscle in his body tense as he struggled to get back to Dupont to finish him off. If anyone of them loosened their grip in even the slightest Sam would pull away from them and be back on Dupont.

Shade, Shakespeare and Cami quickly drug Dupont's unconscious bleeding body from the room and closed the door. They did that for Sam's sake not Dupont's. Once in the other room Sally handcuffed Dupont. Cami quickly called for medical assistance for two.

Greg knelt in front of Sam. It had been nearly two minutes since they dragged him off Dupont but he had not calmed one bit. Consumed by rage Sam struggled continually for release. He was so lost in his rage his eyes locked onto the door they had taken Dupont out through. All Sam knew was he wanted to go after Gerard; that he had to kill that son of a bitch.

Those holding him down looked at one another trying to figure out how to dissipate this rage. Secretly there was not one among them that didn't have a small part of them that wanted to unleash Sam on Dupont. But that would not be best for Sam. They had to find a way to calm him down quickly. He was hurting himself as he struggled against the hands that held him down.

Greg tried to reach him "Sam. Sam come on buddy. Break out of it."

General Braddock spoke softly directly in his ear "Son relax. It is over. It's over. He's gonna pay. You got him. You're hurt stay still son."

Ed tried loudly "Braddock stand down. Stand down now."

Wordy reached out and touched his shoulder. Sam pulled away from the touch "Sam buddy he's gonna go to prison. That's what you wanted. That's the right thing. I know you want the right thing. Calm down please. Please."

No one was getting through to him as he continued to roar and thrash to get loose.

Spike was trying to restrain Sam and prevent further injury to his leg by holding it down. He saw Ed had Sam's other leg and Spike's somewhat befuddled mind finally registered Greg, Ed and Wordy were there even though Greg and Ed had spoken previously. Spike noticed Greg was between Sam's legs also holding them down when an idea struck him. He asked Greg "How's Jules?"

Greg looked at him quizzically for asking now as they fought to stop Sam's fury and keep him from hurting himself more. But he answered "Okay but in ER with a likely concussion and broken arm?"

Spike instructed Greg "Hold this leg." They shifted positions then Spike grabbed Sam's face with both hands. He tried to make eye contact with Sam as Sam tried to yank his head away. Spike yelled "Sam get it together. Jules is hurt. Jules needs you now. Jules is in the ER."

Sam stilled slightly each time Jules name was yelled. His eyes began to lose the wild frenzy look and he panted out between ragged breaths "Jules? … Hurt?"

Nodding Spike lowered his voice "Yeah Jules is hurt. We gotta be there for Jules. Come on buddy snap out of it. Jules needs you to snap out of it."

Wordy was holding one of Sam's arms. He saw that Spike was breaking through with Jules name and he added "Jules is counting on all of us. Come on Sam we need you there with us for Jules. Jules counting on you. Jules need you to calm down right now."

Their repeated use of Jules's name finally broke through Sam's rage and his muscles began relaxing as his thrashing lessened in its intensity. There was a collective sigh of relief as Sam quit all struggling and limply lay back against his father's chest. His breathing was still ragged, uneven, and rapid though.

As Sam was released from his all-consuming rage and the adrenaline was thoroughly spent he began to feel the pain. Oh shit it hurt. He groaned in pain between every ragged breath.

Sam's confused eyes found Greg and asked in a painful halting voice "Boss, why … aren't … you with … Jules? She's … hurt … you need … to be …with her." He then registered Ed, Wordy and Spike around him "All … you … do."

Greg shifted on his knees. Damn, just like him; always thinking of the other team members before himself. Sam was ever the protector. They all knew he was over-protective of Jules. It was sometimes a source of contention between those two. But it was working to their advantage right now, thank goodness.

He saw the use of her name calmed him so he continued "Jules's in good hands right now. Jules will be okay. The doctors are looking after Jules. We were needed here. Someone just as important as Jules needed us to have his back too. You doing okay?"

Sam vaguely thought yes was the right answer if it meant his entire body was screaming in pain. But he didn't answer the question. Instead Sam lifted his throbbing hands towards his face. He slowly unfurled his fists. They were covered in blood. His? Dupont's? Both probably his still post rage dazed mind told him. His hands dropped to his lap with absolutely no strength left to hold them up.

He turned his head to his father. Sam asked hesitantly between ragged breaths "Did I … kill … him?"

The General's eyes creased with concern and compassion for his son "I don't think so. I think you made him hurt but I don't think you killed him." The General looked up to Hound "Go check please. Samuel needs to know for sure."

Hound bounded from the room closing the door after him. He didn't quite trust that Sam was in complete control yet. He wanted to make sure there was at least one physical barrier between Sam and Dupont. Not for Dupont's sake but for Sam's. Hound would have been happy if the bastard was dead.

Everything felt a bit surreal to Sam. He was surrounded by his team and family. They seemed to be holding him down. Or was that holding him up? He was confused and having difficulty staying in the present. Sam was fading in and out with the pain he was feeling. Why did he hurt so much?

Sam rasped out asking no one in particular "Why do … does it … hurt so …much?"

Wordy's fatherly voice came to him "Because you've gone and got yourself shot again. Stay still for now. Help is on its way." Wordy maintained pressure on his arm.

Dully Sam tried to figure out which shot fired hit him and where he was shot but everything hurt. Every muscle, tendon and fiber hurt. When he could not discern the location he wheezed out "Where?"

The guys all shared a look. Where? Sam wanted to know where he was shot. He couldn't tell? The General held his son closer "Your thigh son and a graze to the arm."

"Oh" is all he said as he looked down at his previously injured thigh. He thought damn I just got the stitches out. But he was confused. There was no blood on his thigh. Turning his eyes slightly he looked at his other thigh. He saw blood seeping out between Ed's fingers as he held pressure on the wound in his thigh.

Ah crap. At this point he didn't give a damn which arm it was. He was screwed. Walking would be impossible for several weeks. Shit. He was gonna be relegated to staying in the god damned hospital.

Sam felt suddenly cold and his body began to shake. He leaned back against his dad seeking warmth and comfort as the pain overwhelmed him. He closed his eyes to concentrate on trying to get his breathing under control.

Seeing Sam's effort to control his breathing Ed leaned close and softly repeated "In. Hold 2, 3, 4, Release. In. Hold 2, 3, 4, Release. In. Hold 2, 3, 4, Release."

Sam heard quiet but firm words close to his ear. He latched onto Ed's words and followed their guidance. It helped a lot.

As Sam was able to get air in more evenly, his mind started to clear a bit. He and Ed had an interesting relationship. They butted heads often. They misread each other often. They said the wrong things to each other often. But when it came right down to it they were more than just friends. They were brothers and Ed was always there when Sam needed him.

Ed continued until he saw Sam's breathing was regulated and in control "Ready for me to stop?" When Sam nodded yes Ed placed a light hand on Sam's arm and said "Rest now. We got your back. Help is almost here."

* * *

 ** _Hospital_** ** _– Physical Therapy Main Room_**

Hound did not see Dupont in the main physical therapy room. He saw Shakespeare and Shade and asked "Dupont alive?"

Shakespeare answered "Yes. His face is pretty messed up but he will make it. Not life threatening but I heard the doctor say something about possible multiple fractures of the jaw. That other SRU team and Detective Jackson took him to the ER in handcuffs and under guard so he cannot get away or pose any threat to Sam or the General. After this he isn't likely to see a day outside of prison."

Shade added "Not likely at all. Even if they never can prove the pedophile charges he'll be charged with attempted murder of a General and a Police Officer. Not to mention attempted murder of a child by his own admission just now."

Hound shared with Shakespeare "There is no question either that this is Gerard and not Gaston. A room full of people heard him announce himself as Gerard Dupont, head of security. Bastard slipped up."

Smiling Shakespeare said "They got him on more charges too. Sally's computer analyst just informed me that he traced the security breach of the pediatric cameras to Dupont. And early today she told me she plans to follow up with the victims to see if they remember seeing the tattoo or smelling that cologne Dupont likes to douse himself in."

The doctor and the medical staff sent up interrupted "Has the patient calmed enough for us to go in and treat him yet?"

Hound replied "Let me check." Hound headed back to the door and peeked in. He nodded to the doctor.

Shakespeare stopped an orderly before he could enter. "You will not need these" he said as he ripped the soft cuff restraints from the man and tossed them to the floor.

"But he just tried to beat to death the head of hospital security" the orderly stated.

"Bastard deserved it" Shade, Hound and Shakespeare all retorted simultaneously.

* * *

 ** _Hospital_** ** _– Physical Therapy Assessment Room_**

The door opened and stayed open this time as Hound returned and several others entered the room. Hound squatted down next to Sam "Not dead. Might wish he was though. You gotta mean left punch."

Shakespeare knelt down too and added "He is sure to be arrested. He's going to go away. He won't ever be able to hurt kids again. Right hammer fist ain't half bad either."

Recognition entered Sam's eyes. They were older but … "Brock? … Duffy?"

They both nodded and smiled. Shakespeare spoke again "We'll check on you later kiddo. You did good." Duffy and Brock stood and backed away making room for the medical staff to attend to Sam.

The medical staff rushed in and in very short order Sam was lifted onto the gurney. A nurse inserted an IV and the doctor assessed the severity of the wounds. The warm blanket they covered him with did nothing to reduce his shivering. He deduced he was likely going into shock.

Sam heard conversation bursting all around him but it started to fade out as a floating sensation overtook him. Then he felt a warm hand clasp his hand. Sam turned his head to the side and found Spike next to him holding his hand.

To Sam it felt like a grounding hook. Without it he would float away. He squeezed Spike's hand hard not wanting to lose the contact.

Spike squeezed back "Not letting go. Not then. Not now. Not ever."

Sam took comfort in the words Spike always told him when shit it the fan. Feeling more grounded Sam remembered Jules and asked "Who is with … Jules?"

Ed responded "Greg and Wordy left just a moment ago. They are going to check on Jules."

Sam registered Ed at the foot of the gurney. "What happened to her?" Sam asked needing to know and trying to concentrate on anything other than the pain racking his body.

Seeing they were about ready to wheel Sam away Ed simply said "She showed the stalker you don't mess with Jules. He's dead. She'll be fine. Tell you all about it later Samo. Looks like you're headed out on a trip to ER yourself. Do what the doctor's tell you. No arguments."

Sam would have laughed he if could but he finally slipped into blissful pain-free unconsciousness.


	33. Comfort, Confusion & Callaghan Brothers

**Comfort, Confusion & Callaghan Brothers**

* * *

 ** _Hospital – ER Room Five_**

Jules woke up thrashing and yelling in the throes of the nightmare of the attack. The nurse tried to calm her down. As she realized where she was it turned to whimpering. She wanted Sam to hold her. But she couldn't ask for that. Her head hurt so badly; if she opened her eyes the light stabbed her. Her arm was on fire and it hurt every time she moved. The rest of her body ached. She wanted Sam.

From ER room four, Connor heard the loud commotion. As the yelling turned to whimpers he edged off his bed. He took shaky steps to Jules room. What he saw saddened him. Jules was curled up on the bed holding her arm. Tears were leaking out of her tightly closed eyes and running unchecked down her face as soft whimpers escaped randomly.

Connor walked slowly to her bed on unsteady feet. He reached out for her handrail and released the lever to drop it. He moved closer to the bed and softy in his accented voice he crooned "Jules, dear lovely Jules I'm here."

Jules recognized the voice. He was caring. He was fatherly bordering on grandfatherly. She lifted her head and squinted "Connor?"

Connor opened his arms wide. Jules wasn't sure what compelled her but she scooted to that side of the bed and allowed Connor to embrace her. His arms gently encircled her. She laid her head in the crook of his neck. Not quite Sam but comfort and security.

Cradling Jules in his arms Connor laid his cheek on the top of her head like he had done a million times with Alice. He softly hummed an old lullaby. It was one he had hummed since Alice was first laid in his arms after she was born. He felt Jules begin to relax.

Nurse Clare watched with a hand over her mouth as she swiped a tear from her eyes. She hadn't seen anything so sweet and tender in a very long time. She was supposed to take Jules to get a cast put on but decided it could wait a bit. Jules needed comfort and that was exactly what she was getting right now. Clare pulled the curtain to give Jules privacy.

* * *

 ** _Hospital – ER Hallway Outside Room Five_**

Two large muscular orderlies were kicking back in the ER hallway waiting for instructions. Their lunch break had been interrupted and they were called back to the ER. "Jack any idea why they called us back from lunch break?" Martin asked.

"I heard from Marcy that there was some hullabaloo up in Physical Therapy. That might be it" Jack answered.

"Like what?" Martin inquired.

"Something about the Head of Security going in to break up a fight. Then he got jumped by one of the guys and nearly beat to death" Jack gossiped.

Martin made a face of disgust "Can't say I like the guy. Dupont's a pompous ass. But I sure hope they throw the book at the asshole that beat him up. Something like that should not happen in a hospital."

Jack was about to add more when they saw a gurney entering the ER with several SRU Officers surrounding the bed. After they passed and entered room ten Jack said "Wow must be serious. Dupont is being protected by SRU."

The orderly that had come in with Dupont exited the room and met up with his buddies "Man you're not gonna believe it."

"Was that Dupont?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, dude he's really messed up. His face will never be the same. I think the guy probably broke his jaw in three or more places. His nose is broken too. He's a bloody mess. The dude that hit him was still raging in the assessment room. It took like six guys to haul him off Dupont. I've never seen anything like it" Barry rapidly told them.

Taking a deep breath Barry continued "Grab the restraints and a gurney we need to hurry. They need all three of us up there just in case. The man went totally nuts and we might need to use force to lock him into gurney."

* * *

 ** _Hospital – ER Room Five_**

Jules and Connor overheard the conversation. Jules whipped her head to look at Connor, the room spun nauseatingly. After taking several short panting breaths in an attempt to quell the need to vomit Jules said "Sam, oh god it's Sam." Her eyes pleaded "I need to know what happened. I need to know if Sam is okay."

Connor smoothed Jules hair down and gently laid her back on the bed. "Relax, I'll see what I can find out." Seeing concern and determination in her eyes he got an uneasy feeling she was going to get out of the bed and march up to Physical Therapy. He added "Do not move from this bed. I'll be right back. Okay?"

He waited until Jules reluctantly said "Okay."

Connor flagged down Nurse Clare "Miss, do you have any information on what occurred in Physical Therapy? Do you know who the attacker was?"

Clare who was on her way back to Jules room stopped to answer his question "No I'm sorry I don't. Thank you for your help with Jules. But now Mr. MacGillie you should really be back in your bed." Clare saw the man was still very shaky and went to take his elbow and assist him back to his bed.

"No. If you could please. I'd like to stay with Jules until one of her teammates can sit with her" Connor said refusing to move.

Clare responded "Sir, you really aren't well enough to be on your feet. Let's get you back to your bed."

Connor refused to budge "No. I think not. Jules is worried that one of her teammates was involved in the melee upstairs. I should stay with her now."

Blinking Clare asked "Which teammate does she think is involved?"

"Sam Braddock" Connor answered.

Her eyes widened stunned at the thought that Sam would do something like that to the head of security "Samtastic?" Then she quickly gathered herself "Mr. MacGillie, will you at least sit down if I bring a chair into Jules room?"

Connor nodded yes. Two minutes later Connor was sitting in Jules room and Clare was checking Jules vitals. Clare had also brought pain meds for Jules and injected them into the IV port.

Clare spoke softly to avoid causing more pain for Jules "The pain meds should take effect real soon Jules. They will be making you a bit drowsy."

"I should be sending you to the casting room Jules. But I will hold off until we know who was involved in the attack. But you have to promise me you won't leave his bed. I don't want to have to be picking you up from the floor. And I certainly don't want to explain that to any of your teammates if that were to happen."

Connor looked at Clare with a questioning look. Clare gave him a half smile and nervously chuckled "Team One's fiercely protective of one another. They can get rather scary if they think someone is not doing the best for their teammate. I know first-hand. We screwed up the first time Sam was in our care. I wanted to crawl into a hole when I found out Samtastic had been in pain for so long."

Jules reached out a hand and grasped Clare's hand "Thank you. Please let me know as soon as you do if it is Sam." Then another thought entered her head "Or if it was Spike. Spike was with Sam. He would want to protect him from Dupont."

Clare blinked "Protect Sam from Dupont? I'm confused. I thought Dupont was the one attacked." Under her breath not loud enough for either Jules or Connor to hear she mumbled 'hate that bastard not too upset he got his ass beaten, he's such a jackass'.

Jules didn't feel like talking and it wasn't her place to explain so she just said "It's complicated." She closed her eyes exhuasted.

Seeing the pain and tiredness on Jules face she simply said "Okay. Be back in a bit. Just rest now."

When Clare was gone Jules opened her eyes a fraction and looked at Connor. He looked weary and shaken. Without his help she shuddered to think what would have happened to her. If he had not hit him on the head she would have been raped. If he had not used the nail gun she would have been dead. She owed Connor more than she could ever repay.

Reaching out she could touch his arm and she left her hand there. Jules smiled and said "Thank you for being there when I needed …" Her mind was trying to find the right word; when I needed help, needed Sam, needed a shoulder to cry on, needed, just needed. She finally decided on the best descriptor "… when I needed you. Alice was lucky to have you for a dad. She would be proud of what you did today. Thank you."

Connor whispered "Hush now. I only did what any father would do to protect his daughter." He couldn't believe that slipped out. Connor watched Jules for her reaction.

When she simply smiled at him then closed her eyes with a small sigh he relaxed. He wondered what she thought of his words. He wasn't sure exactly when it happened. But he had come to think of her as more than just a friend; he'd come to think of Jules as a daughter.

He watched as sleep claimed her and the pain lines smoothed from her face. He brushed the wayward hair from her face. He whispered "Rest lovely Jules, rest now." He decided that if nurse Clare came back with an explanation he would ask her not to wake Jules. She was in pain and needed rest and comfort right now.

Then he sat back in the chair a little less shaky. Connor closed his eyes and saw the man with three nails in his head. He had never killed before. But this was justified and although it still bothered him greatly he would do it again in an instant to save Jules.

Forty-five minutes later Jules half-opened her eyes to find Connor was gone and Greg and Wordy were at her bedside. She noticed that her arm had been casted. Jules thought those pain meds sure knocked her out; she didn't remember it being done. As she closed her eyes against the pain light brought to her head her first groggy words were "Sam? Spike?"

Greg's worry worn eyes looked at Jules. "Spike is just fine. A few stitches to the back of his head and a headache but no concussion. Sam is still in surgery for a wound to his thigh. We are waiting to hear."

Jules was shocked to hear both had been injured and more shocked to hear Sam was in surgery. She weakly demanded "What happened?" Between Greg and Wordy they told her all that happened. When they finished she asked "How bad was the gunshot wound to the thigh?"

Wordy sighed "It was a small caliber with no exit would. It's on the outside of his thigh so not close to the femoral artery. We don't know any more until the doctor comes out to talk to us. How are you feeling?

In a distant voice she answered "I'm okay." Jules found she was so very tired. She wanted to see Spike to make sure he was okay. She wanted to see Sam for the same reason. She wanted to ask how long Sam would be in surgery. But her body had other plans. Jules struggled to stay awake but was pulled down into slumber as she tried to voice her questions.

Both Greg and Wordy watched as Jules returned to sleep. She clearly was not okay. Just that short period of wakefulness had drained her completely. The cloak of guilt each felt for leaving her unprotected was weighing them down. Greg cleared his throat to remove the emotional lump that had settled then said "I think I should call Aidan. Her family should know."

Wordy was drained as he slumped into the chair. "Yeah, I think they should know too. I just don't know if Jules is ready to listen to anything they have to say. Their actions have been hurtful to her. I think you need to let them know not to push."

Nurse Clare came in "Hello Greg, Wordy. I just wanted to let you know we are ready to move Jules up to her room now. The doctor wants to keep her for forty-eight hours due to the severity of the blow to her head. She will be in room 1016."

Wordy quipped "Well at least we know where that is." Clare looked at him quizzically. He explained "Same room Spike and Sam were just in a few days ago."

Greg sighed "She's not going to like being in the hospital."

Wordy didn't voice his opinion. He knew that Jules would not mind being in the hospital because she would be closer to Sam. He had an idea "Clare, do they ever do co-ed rooms?"

Clare tilted her head up in concentration "Not typically unless the patients are related or we have no other beds available."

Greg understood what Wordy was asking he picked up the conversation "When Sam comes out of recovery, can we arrange him to be sent to 1016 too? Both of them have been through an ordeal. They would be able to support one another."

Clare grinned "You mean Jules can keep Sam in the bed and not sign out AMA."

Grinning in return Greg answered "Yeah that too."

"I'll talk to the doctors and see if that can be arranged" Clare responded.

Turning to Wordy Greg said "I'll head up to the room with Jules. Can you let the rest of the guys know?"

* * *

 ** _Medicine Hat, Alberta – Aidan's Home_**

Aidan strode to the door to open it. It would be Keagan because Finley and Brayden were already on his couch. He swung it open and said "Thanks for coming so quickly Keagan."

Keagan entered and saw his two other brothers sitting tensely on the couch. When Aidan joined them in the room Keagan turned to him. His voice harsh and gruff he pinned Aidan with a glare "Okay, I dropped everything and came. What is so damned important but you couldn't tell me over the phone? I don't have time for any of your drama Aidan."

Aidan shifted his eyes to Brayden for support. It was his idea to meet with Finley and Keagan away from their dad. Brayden stood and said with authority "Keagan watch your tone and be nice. What Aidan has to tell us is of the utmost importance and you would not want to be told over the phone."

Keagan blew out a frustrated breath. He wasn't really upset with Aidan. It's was just that things at work were so hectic. On top of that he and Rachel had their hands full with three sick kids at home and he hadn't had more than four hours sleep each night for a week. "Sorry, didn't mean to be a jerk." He dropped wearily into one of the chairs. "What's so important baby bro."

Aidan cleared his throat as Brayden resumed his seat "I know we have all talked about reestablishing a relationship with Julianna. Going against dad. Keagan, Finley I don't want you to be angry but I saw Jules about a week and a half ago. She was in the ICU. She woke up when I was talking to her telling her we were sorry for abandoning her."

He was hit with a barrage of questions from Finley and Keagan about Jules and how he knew she had been hurt. At first they were angry he hadn't said anything to them but then realized that none of them had had time lately to talk. When they quieted down Finley asked "Is that why you called us?"

"No it is only the impetus for it. When I was there I left my number with her Boss, Sergeant Parker. I asked him to call me instead of dad if she was ever injured again. Especially since dad never told us about when she got shot." Aidan sat heavily and his voice cracked with emotion "He called."

That unleashed another barrage of question all the brothers talking on top of one another. It was a cacophony of sounds and no one question was distinguishable from another. Aidan just waited until they all spent their words and were quiet again.

Aidan sat up straighter "So he called. Jules was not hurt at work." He drew a deep breath in not wanting to tell them but needing too. He couldn't come right out and say it so he said "Remember Bruce, the boyfriend that dumped her when she was sixteen."

Anger bright and hot flared in each of their eyes Brayden growled "What does that bastard have to do with Jules now? If he went …"

Aidan cut him off "No, no Bruce is nowhere near her."

Keagan sneered "I didn't think he would. He knows that we would kill him if he was even in the same city with her."

Finley said "You should have let me finish him off that night. It would have taken only a few more well placed punches. We should have killed him."

Brayden smirked "We should've found a way to make him suffer more. We should have followed through and actually tied him naked to the flag pole with the sign around his neck 'I'm a rapist'."

The brothers were all silent in their own memories of Bruce. It had taken them just over two weeks to figure out what had happened to Jules late one night on her way home from band practice. She had behaved oddly from the moment she got home. But their dad had not seen she was upset and just laid into her about being late.

Aidan had been the one to find out what happened. He was in the guys' locker room after rugby practice when he overheard Bruce bragging to friends. It took everything he had not to kill the guy then and there when he heard him talk about how he had gotten into Jules pants. From the next aisle over unseen by Bruce, he listened as Bruce told them he had dumped her a week ago because she wasn't a good lay.

But that hadn't been the worst thing Bruce said. One of the boys said he didn't believe Jules was that easy. He couldn't believe she willingly had sex with him. He had been stunned, shocked, outraged when Bruce laughed and confessed that Jules wasn't so willing. He had listened to the sordid details with tears spilling from his eyes for his baby sister. Then he stormed out and found Brayden, Finley and Keagan.

They knew they had to deal with it without going to the police. One reason was that they knew their baby sitter and the way she had acted the last weeks told them she would never talk to them or anyone about it. None of them was sure they could face her either; they all felt like they had failed her somehow.

If they had only stopped their dad from yelling at her that night maybe they could have talked her into reporting it and they would have had evidence. That was the second reason, they all knew that without any physical evidence it would be a he said she said situation. The last reason was that because Bruce had dumped her last week he would twist it and say Jules was crying rape to get back at him for dumping her.

So later that night, they lured Bruce to a park and beat the holy shit out of him. They told him that if he ever so much as looked at Jules, said Jules name, ever came near her or tried to speak with her they would know and he would regret it. They told him that he could report them for beating him up but if he did they would make him pay. Brayden threatened to tie him naked to a pole with a sign around his neck.

Aidan finally broke the silence and said "It wasn't quite like Bruce. But Jules was attacked in her basement by a serial rapist/murderer. Apparently she fit his type. She kicked the man's ass. He died before he could rape her. Parker said we should be proud of her." Aidan went on to give them the full details including how Connor had kicked in the door to come to her rescue.

Keagan pulled out his phone and dialed when it answered he said "Rachel, honey I hate to do this to you and leave you with three sick kids. I need to go to Toronto. I'll be gone two or three days, maybe more depending. My sister was hurt. I need to be there for her whether she wants me or not."

 _["Keagan Callaghan, it's about damned time. Go. Go with my blessing. Jules is your only sister and you need to do better by her. The kids and I will be just fine." Rachel responded.]_

"Thanks Rachel. Love ya. Gotta go now" Keagan said then hung up. He looked at his brothers "So. Who's coming with me?"

Over the next hour all four brothers had made arrangements to catch a flight to Toronto in the three hours. They had a lot to answer for and Jules may reject them but they all intended to try. None of them could shun her from their lives any longer. They had failed her miserably but they would not do that again.


	34. Taking Care of Connor & Hospital Fiasco

**Taking Care of Connor & Hospital Fiasco**

* * *

 ** _Courtyard Toronto Downtown Hotel – Room 237_**

Patrick placed a glass of water on the nightstand and Patricia pulled the blanket up and covered Connor. Patricia said kindly "Okay you just rest now. Patrick and I will be in the other room. If you need anything just callout and we will hear you."

Connor looked at Patricia's kind eyes "Thank you. You don't need to stay. I'll be fine by myself."

Patrick swallowed trying to clear the lump of emotion in his throat. "Connor we want to stay. You've had a rough time today. You should not be alone. Also the doctor at the hospital said you have overdone it for far too long. You need rest and Patricia and I are here to see that you do."

"Really you don't need to stay. I've been talking care of myself for a long time" Connor insisted.

Patricia smiled and quipped "Well it looks as if you've done a dandy job of it. Quit your fussing. You are stuck with us. You don't have to do it alone anymore. Rest please Connor. I'll check on you in a little while. Tomorrow we can make plans for going home."

Connor said "I'd be honored if you two would consider staying in my home while you look for a place of your own in Manchester."

Patricia and Patrick exchanged a look. Connor was too generous. Patricia smiled and said "That would be lovely. Thank you. Now rest."

With that Patrick and Patricia left the bedroom side of the suite closing the door almost all the way. Patrick went to the small coffee maker and started a pot of hot water to make tea. Patricia walked to the window and looked out feeling a myriad of emotions.

Patricia turned to Patrick "I'm a bit confused Patrick. I've never connected with someone so quickly. What is it about Connor that draws me to him?"

Patrick came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back to him. He leaned his head forwards to be cheek to cheek with Patricia. "He definitely has a fatherly or grandfatherly vibe about him. He's a good man who has had great heartache and tries to prevent it for others when he can. I think you are drawn to him because you are a nurturer. You are always drawn to those in need. Because of his loss, I think he's spent years alone and isolating himself focusing on work. That takes its toll and I think you recognized it."

Sighing Patricia said "Yeah, you're probably right. It was surely evidenced today. He was still shaky when he walked in here. I wish he would have stayed at least one night at the hospital like they wanted him too. I'm worried about him."

Hugging her tight Patrick stated "Today was very traumatic for him. Jules being attacked. She sure does look a lot like Alice. That had to be difficult to see her being attacked. I'm fairly sure he might have felt his daughter was being attacked. Also killing someone, even a serial murderer, is so counter to his way of thinking. It must be weighing heavily on his mind. But he has us now. We'll take care of him. Like you said he doesn't have to do it alone anymore. We'll help him through it."

"Yes you are right. We will help him see that it was in the defense of an innocent person" Patricia commented.

"He already knows that. But he still has to come to terms with it." Patrick squeezed her tight then dropped his arms and headed to the coffee maker. "I'll make the tea. You grab the case file so we can start the paperwork so we can be off to our new home in Manchester sooner. Would you like Earl Grey or Peppermint tea?"

Heading to the back pack to grab the file Patricia answered "I'll take the Peppermint. Save the Earl Grey for Connor later, it's his favorite." She flipped open the file and stared at the victim's photos. What damned luck Connor had to be given this case. She hoped he would be able to quickly come to terms with killing Logan Hill. She was also very glad that this killer was stopped and Jules picture had not ended up in it as one of the victims.

* * *

 ** _Hospital – Private Waiting Room_**

Wordy stormed into the waiting room. He was pissed, thoroughly and utterly pissed. He stomped to the far wall away from the others. He was too angry to sit. He paced back and forth, his fists kept clenching. He wanted to hit something. No he want to hit SOMEONE. Wordy steamed thinking of all the asinine things anyone had ever said to him that had been the worst. How could the man been so fucking clueless?

The others in the room all watched Wordy closely but gave him space to calm down. But after ten minutes and he still showed no signs of getting under control Ed stood and walked closer. Not close enough to be in striking distance because it surely looked like Wordy was about to lash out.

With a questioning concerned tone Ed asked "Wordy are you all right?"

Wordy whipped his head towards Ed as he continued to pace and barked out "DOES it LOOK like I'm alright Ed?"

Taking a few steps back to allow Wordy more space. "No. It does not look like you are alright. Is there anything I can do to help?" Ed queried.

"Unless you can pull that idiot's head out of his ass then no. No there is nothing you can do. Just let me be pissed for now" Wordy answered.

Spike and Ed looked at each other then Spike asked "Pull whose head out of his ass?

Wordy stopped pacing "Some idiot lawyer that was talking to the Head of the ER department."

Ed took a step closer to Wordy "What did he say that has you all riled up?"

Anger flaring in his eyes Wordy laced his fingers together behind his head and squeezed his arms against his head and growled. "Fucking bottom feeder lawyers."

"Must have been bad" Spike said standing and walking toward Wordy too.

Getting himself somewhat under control he looked at Ed then Spike "Yeah bad. When Sam is out of surgery they are moving him to the seventh floor."

"WHAT? That's where Dupont belongs" Spike yelled. He could not believe what he was hearing. Move Sam to the seventh floor? That's where the lock down unit was for criminals and mentally ill patients.

Ed's gut was beginning to churn "Why would they take Sam to the seventh floor?"

Wordy ground out "Because that damned troll of a lawyer heard a distorted version of what happened in Physical Therapy. The fucking gossip grape vine was on fire here and it is all over the hospital with various versions. It seem the lawyer is representing Dupont and wants to press charges against Sam."

"He is claiming that Sam assaulted the General and that Dupont was just doing his job when Sam then assaulted him too. He threatened to go to the media and sue the hospital if they did not move Sam to the seventh floor to quote 'protect a man who was just doing his job from a lunatic police officer'."

Spike's eyes went wide "Surely the Head of ER didn't believe him. He knows Sam."

"I don't know what he believed" Wordy said as the initial fury was building again.

"I will not allow that to happen" General Braddock stated firmly as he started towards the door. Ed, Wordy and Spike followed.

* * *

 ** _Hospital – Recovery Room_**

Heather was checking Sam's vitals when several uniformed officers entered the recovery room. She was dumbstruck at first when she was moved out of the way and one of the officers put soft cuffs on first one then the other of Sam's hands and attached them to the bed rails. She was speechless as they then attached soft cuffs to his ankles too.

Finding her voice she said indignantly "Just what do you think you are doing to my patient!"

"Orders Ma'am. He is in police custody now" one of the officers said.

A look of complete utter disbelief crossed Heather's face. "He's just came out of surgery. Cuffs are not necessary. If you haven't noticed he won't be walking anywhere with a bullet wound to the thigh. Heck he hasn't even recovered from the one he got almost two weeks ago. Take them off now."

"Ma'am we are just doing our jobs. I suggest you do yours" the same officer stated flatly.

Dr. Mallard entered at the tail end and saw his patient in cuffs "What the hell is going on here? I demand you remove those cuffs this instant."

"I cannot Sir" the officer replied. He took a side glance at the anesthetized man. Damn he hated when officers went off the deep end. It gave them all a bad name. The news was going to have a heyday with this one. Damn, why'd he do it? He had taken an oath to serve and protect. The officer wondered what drove him to the dark side where he would beat a man nearly to death. With his pretty boy looks he was gonna be eaten alive in prison.

"We'll see about that" Dr. Mallard said with malice to the officer. Then he turned to Heather and softened "Page me if there are any problems with Samtastic. I'm going to sort this out. I cannot fathom what has occurred to cause this."

Heather nodded and moved forward to Sam. She lay a hand on his cheek "Don't you worry Sam. I have no clue what is going on but we'll get this sorted out." She checked his vitals then headed to the nurses desk.

She pulled out her phone and dialed "Jim, thank god you answered. Oh honey, you are not going to believe what's happened."

 _[Jim had been watching the news at the cafe on his break "Heather, are you okay? Are you safe? I saw on the news there was a lunatic loose in the hospital. I was just going to call …"]_

Thoroughly confused Heather interrupted "Jim, what the heck are you talking about?"

 _["It's all over the news, every station. They are saying a lunatic had a gun and beat the head of security to death, or nearly, there are conflicting reports. Please tell me you are safe" Jim anxiously demanded.]_

"Jim I've been in back to back surgeries today. That is the first I've heard of anything. We are not on lock down or anything. I was calling you because of Sam." Something started to creep into her thoughts.

 _["What about Sam?" Jim asked dreading the answer from the tone in his wife's voice.]_

Finding no other way Heather blurted out "They cuffed his arms AND legs to the bed. He's in recovery and they cuffed him." She had seen his knuckles. They were in terrible shape like he'd hit something or someone hard and repeatedly.

Her voice dropped to a whisper "Oh god Jim, I think Sam is that lunatic they are talking about on the news. But that can't be. He couldn't even walk unassisted yet from the previous wounds. And now he's got two more wounds."

 _[Jim could not believe what he was hearing "No it couldn't be Sam. Sam would not do that. No way. Something is way wrong here." Then he registered that Sam was in recovery with trepidation he asked "Why is Blondie in recovery? What happened to Blondie?"]_

Heather cringed. She hated to hear Jim call Sam Blondie; it meant he was being dragged backwards to a time of great hurt. Hurriedly she answered "He's gonna be okay. Gunshot wound to the thigh and a grazed arm. I'm not sure how it happened. He came through surgery okay but it took a long time. Dr. Mallard had to be careful when removing the bullet so he didn't further damage the muscle."

 _[Jim went into medic mode "This Dr. Mallard, he's new. Is he aware of Blondie's pain med needs? Do I need to come? I'm just around the corner?"]_

"Honey you can come if you want but Dr. Mallard is a good man. He thoroughly reviewed Sam's unique needs. He was incensed they would cuff him in his condition. Dr. Mallard stormed out of here vowing to get the cuffs off of him." Heather smiled as she recalled the fearsome look on Mallard's face.

 _[The realization that Sam was handcuffed to the bed sunk in. Jim begged "Heather listen to me please. You have to keep him out until he's uncuffed. If he wakes cuffed it will be bad. Blondie will think he is trapped and back in that hell hole where he was tortured. Please. Please. Do whatever you have to do to make sure he does not wake cuffed." Jim looked at his partner as he stepped on the gas to get to the hospital. His partner flipped the lights and sirens on after taking one look at Jim's face.]_

Heather blanched at Jim's words and looked over at Sam. What was she going to do? He would be waking shortly. She did not have authorization to give him a sedative. A bit shaky she said "I'll do what I can. I promise to do what I can." She hung up the phone then started back to Sam's bed.

She glared at the four officers that surrounded his bed. Four officers? What did they think he was going to do? He was incapacitated for goodness sake. She noticed that Sam was stirring.

* * *

 ** _Hospital_** ** _– Staff Lounge_**

Heated debates were taking place in the staff lounge. There were three distinct camps warring. The most vocal and abusive camp were deriding how police officers always covered for their own. They believed that the officer should be locked up for assaulting the head of security.

They were more than happy to talk to the media and give their opinions. The media loved them. What a ratings win-fall, officer goes berserk in hospital and nearly kills the head of security. Meaty and sordid conjectures as to why he went off the preverbal deep end were bandied about by the reporters as each station tried to one up the next.

The second camp nearly as vocal were adamant that Sam was innocent of what he was accused of doing. They knew him and knew he was incapable of beating a man like that for no reason. They insisted there had to be a reason and that the story was mixed up somehow. They were mostly ignored by the reporters.

The third and largest group was indifferent to whether the officer was guilty or not. But they gossiped nonetheless because their friends and families were asking them about it.

At one table sat three orderlies Martin, Jack and Barry. Martin was solidly in camp one. Jack was in camp two and Barry was in camp three.

Martin sneered "You've heard of the Blue Wall of Silence. Those SRU are just covering for one of their own. Police think they can get away with just anything. That they aren't bound by the same rules as we are just because they carry a gun for a living."

Jack stared at his so called friend in disbelief "Don't be a dumbass. We all saw the injuries Sam had. Dupont is an arrogant jerk and he is lying. I don't know why but I know that officer. Sam is a good man. Do you remember that gang war a few years back?"

Barry said "I do what about it?" Then he kicked back watching the rift build between two guys that had been friends for a few years.

"Well that's the same officer. I was here that night. I got called to ICU when some guy attacked Sam then committed suicide in front of him. I don't remember that guy's name. Doesn't really matter though. But I know that officer. Sam nice, he is a good man. I even gave him my extra sweats and t-shirt that night when his boss insisted he not be put in a gown" Jack related.

Snorting Martin looked at his blind as a bat friend "Take your blinders off. Just because he took out some gangland boss and carried some stupid little girl to her mother doesn't make him a good man. Plain and simple, this is a clear case of them covering for one of their own. You heard the guy raging. Son of a bitch should be locked away either in the insane asylum or in prison"

Jack slammed the table with both hands "You have no idea what transpired in there. Only hearsay and conjecture. I know the man. Do you know that he ended up back here in a coma when he was shot attending Constable Plouffe's funeral. A few weeks after he finally woke up guess what I got?"

He waited for them and Martin only shrugged, Jack continued "I got a package. My clothes had been laundered and returned to me. Sam included a very sincere note of thanks for the use of them saying that he truly appreciated the kindness I had shown him. He also made a generous donation in my name to the Mayfield Soup Kitchen because we are not allowed to accept tips or gifts from patients. That tells me he is a good man."

Standing Jack threw one last verbal shot at Martin "Oh and word of warning. You better never let Nurse Clarry hear you refer to the girl Sam carried to her mother as some stupid girl if you care for your own life. That girl is her granddaughter Sara. Sam saved her life that day."

Jack stormed away unable to be around Martin. Barry looked at Martin "Man if Nurse Clarry ever hears you say anything bad about Sam you're dead."

Not to be deterred Martin said "I still say they are covering for him. I may not know how it started but I sure as hell know the end result. Dupont's face will never be the same. What could Dupont have ever done that would have justified that kind of beating?"

Barry shrugged and said non-committedly "I could think of a few things that might make a man do that."

"Like what?" Martin said snidely.

Barry stood up ready to head back to work "I knew a guy once that got the shit kicked out of him because he forced himself on a woman he was dating. The gal's father was a pastor at my church and he went ballistic on him. Can't say I blame the dad. Good thing the dad took her to the hospital after it happened."

"They got DNA and the shithead is serving time for rape right now. The father was charged with felonious assault based on the injuries he inflicted but it was downgraded to simple assault given his emotional state and he got community service. So yeah there are things that would cause a good man beat another man. Gotta go, see ya later."

Laughing Barry added "Watch your back around Nurse Clarry. Someone might have overheard ya and told her what you said."

* * *

 ** _Hospital – Jules's Room_**

Jules was alone and very worried. Spike at run in a while ago to grab the Boss. Something was happening with Sam. They were out of there so fast Spike did not have time to tell her what happened.

The dim and quiet room was helping to reduce the pain in her head. But she was unsettled and antsy. She found herself jumping and opening her eyes at every little sound. Every time she closed her eyes she would relive the moment when Logan put his arms around her. Feelings she had thought she had long buried and dealt with threatened to rise.

The nurse slowly opened the door. She sighed and thought finally asleep. She quietly entered the room to not disturb her patient as she came to take vitals. She could let her sleep another thirty minutes before waking her for the cognitive test again.

She reached out to take Jules wrist to check her pulse. She screamed in pain as she was rapidly turned and her hand wrenched up high in back. It took her a moment to register what happened. "Stop, please stop. I'm your nurse. Please let go" she called out loudly.

Blinking Jules came fully wake. She instantly let go of the poor nurse. What the hell did she just do? Her hand flew to her mouth as her eyes took in a very scared nurse.

"I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" Jules stammered out shocked at her action.

The nurse rubbed her wrist and slowly came back towards the bed and timidly said "I'm okay. Scared me real good. I should know better not to startle a patient."

At the look of mortification in Jules face she wanted to allay her worries. She put a small smile on her face and tried for a little humor "At least not a trained SRU officer. Kinda like poking a lion with a stick. Could be dangerous."

She continued in a normal tone "I came to get your vitals. But your heart rate is way off the charts now. I'll come back later but will give you notice I'm entering okay."

The post adrenaline plunge was making Jules shaky. "I'm truly sorry. But yeah notice would be a good thing."

As Jules laid back down and the nurse left the room she wished for Sam. Her nerves were shot to hell. All she wanted was to be held in his strong protective arms. Or at least be in the same room with him. Then she was back to worrying what was going on with him. Spike had been really upset. She wished one of the team would come and tell her what was going on.

* * *

 ** _Hospital – Recovery Room_**

Senses were slow to come to Sam. He felt surrounded, crowded, watched. He hurt all over and wanted to just roll into a ball. He tried to curl up but he could not move his arms or legs. He was restrained. He felt trapped. Pain and trapped and watched. Oh god he was there. He was really there. He struggled to open his eyes they would not budge, they were too heavy. Or were they swollen shut.

He had to get out of here. He could not take any more pain. They were not going to hurt him anymore. The unit was not coming for him. It was time to escape or die trying. He just could not take the needles anymore.

Heather was watching Sam stir. He looked agitated. Coming out of anesthesia could be disconcerting and confusing for people. Sam appeared to be struggling this time. His heart rate monitor showed a rapid increase. He tried to move his arms and legs. His breathing was starting to hitch.

She grabbed her phone and paged Dr. Mallard. He had left without giving her orders for pain meds or sedation. She could only try to calm him with her voice and a soft touch. Heather pushed passed one of the guards. The man had the audacity to be playing a game on his phone. "At least you could turn the volume off" Heather scolded him with a disgusted tone as she turned to Sam.

Heather reached out to touch his arm at the same time the guard apparently lost his game and the game sounded out an evil maniacal laugh then said "You die now."

There. I'm really there. "No. NO. NO." Sam growled out. "You die. You die bastard." Sam yanked hard on the restraints as he thrashed against them. He was not going to die. He was getting out of this hell hole once and for all. He would kill who ever tried to stop him. With a feral growl Sam yanked again and again on the restraints.

Heather pulled back. Oh Christ Jim said it would be bad. She slammed the alarm above his head. It was for code blue. It wasn't a code blue but it would bring a doctor who could prescribe a sedative. Heather tried to calm him by speaking to him. She dare not touch him anymore because the one touch she made he pulled from and he yelled he would kill the next bastard that touched him. Her heart was breaking as he continued to wrestle against the cuffs.

His eyes flew open and he saw the enemy surrounding him. He saw the needle coming for him. "NO MORE NEEDLES" Sam screamed as he wrenched hard on the cuffs. His back arched off the bed as he tried to get away and screamed at the top of his lungs. Then he pleaded "Just kill me now. Please kill me now. No more needles." Then in a detached voice "Master Corporal Samuel Braddock B23-509-653."

Heather had injected the sedative into his IV port as she cried. She could not hold back the sobs or tears. Hearing Sam beg for death and then recite his rank, name and serial number as the sedative claimed him ripped her heart to shreds.

As sleep came to him she turned on the horrified officers and yelled "Whoever is responsible for ordering the restraints is going to pay." That's when she saw Jim standing off to the side deathly pale. She ran to him and collapsed in his arms sobbing.

Clare came up to them. She looked at Jim "I'll stay with Sam. Take Heather out of here."

Heather shook her head pulling herself together "Jim go to him." Then she pulled out her phone to call Dr. Mallard, he needed to come and check Sam quickly.

Jim rapidly covered the distance. He laid his hand on Blondie's head. He was too shocked by what he'd seen and heard to even let tears flow. He just stared and whispered over and over "You're not there Blondie. Not there. You're safe."

* * *

 ** _Hospital – Director's Office_**

General Braddock strode into the Directors office followed by Team One, the Head of ER and the lawyer. The found a very irate doctor already haranguing the Hospital Director and a Captain of the Metro PD. They heard the doctor complain to them it was wrong to handcuff his patient right out of surgery.

Dr. Mallard was beyond angry and demanded "Sam had no business being in cuffs. It's not like he is a threat to anyone. I insist that he is uncuffed immediately."

The Captain responded "He is under arrest for assault. I will do no such thing. It is protocol for prisoners and I will not give preferential treatment just because he is a police officer. The media is already yelling about the blue wall of silence. I needed to act quickly."

General Braddock bellowed in his most commanding voice "Uncuff him now! He has done nothing wrong. He was defending me and Constable Scarlatti from that degenerate Dupont."

The Captain squared off with him "And just who the hell are you to be giving me orders?"

The General adopted this most severe look that made most men quiver in fear. His tone ice cold "General William Braddock. Constable Samuel Braddock is my son. I was in the room as was Constable Scarlatti. We will both give sworn statements that Dupont attacked first. He took aim at me and fired. My son risked himself to save me and his teammate. Uncuff my son now."

As the General was speaking Dr. Mallard's phone rang he answered it quickly and listened then hung up. He paled and turned to the General "Sir, you need to come with me now. It's your son. There has been an incident in recovery." Then he threw a death glare at the Captain "Enjoy looking for a new job." He turned on his heel and strode out quickly.

Perplexed and worried General Braddock hurried after the doctor followed by everyone else.

* * *

 ** _Eight Hours Later – Hospital – Information Desk_**

"Hello, how many I help you?" the information desk attendant asked.

Keagan smiled "We would like the room number of our sister. She was admitted earlier today. Her name is Julianna Callaghan."

The attendant asked "Do you have any ID?" All four showed her their driver's licenses. "You're all from Alberta?"

Finley answered "Yes we just flew in. Our sister's room number please."

She clicked at her computer then looked up to them with a puzzled look "Are you sure you have the right hospital? I don't show a Julianna Callaghan admitted."

Brayden looked at Aidan "You sure it was St. Simons?"

"Yeah. Positive" Aidan responded.

Turning to the attendant Brayden asked "Can you check again?"

The attendant clicked away again and then said "Oh. Sorry. We did have a Julianna Callaghan here. But it shows she was released about two hours ago. Checked out AMA."

"Checked out AMA? Really? She had a bad concussion" Aidan's shocked voice carried across the room garnering looks from others.

Keagan pondered "Why would she check out against medical advise?"

The attendant said "Maybe she didn't feel safe here. We had a few checkouts and transfers today because of the whole thing in the Physical Therapy department today." At their confused looks she said "Oh right you just got here, you wouldn't have heard." Then she proceeded to fill them in on all the details she had heard from the news stories and gossip around the hospital.

She ended saying "The police have not released the name of the constable involved. There is speculation he is with SRU. I still can't believe they whisked him away so quickly. It was a bit exciting around here an hour ago when the Army helicopter landed and they took the constable away in that. Anyway, I'm sorry. Your sister is not here."

Brayden said "Aidan call her Boss. I'm sure he would know where Jules went."

* * *

 ** _Army Helicopter Inflight to Special Forces Base in Ottawa_**

It was a somber group assembled in the bird. They had been in the air for an hour and forty minutes. Condor called over the headset "Sir twenty minutes out now. How's Sam doing?"

General Braddock looked at his son strapped to the travel board and snapped back harshly "Zachary he's still sleeping just like the last ten times you asked."

"Sorry Uncle Will, it just …"

"I know. It's okay Zachary. I'm sorry I snapped at you. We are all concerned" the General replied.

Spike looked down at his two best friends lying on the travel gurneys. Both looked peaceful but he knew that was only due to the sedation. He was glad they sedated Jules for the trip too. The loud engine noise would have been too painful for her to bear with the concussion. He turned to his left "Heather thank you for being there for Sam."

Heather just nodded and brushed her tears away and cuddled into Jim for strength. Today had been terrible. Something she never wanted to experience again.

Ed looked to the General "So are you setting Sam up in the base hospital or your home?"

The General answered "Home. It's safe and private. I've got a base doctor meeting us there and Jim and Heather have agreed to stay two days to make sure Samuel and Jules are well cared for until I can arrange for a full duty nurse for Samuel. You all are welcome to stay and visit as you wish."

Greg interjected "Ed, Wordy and I can only stay one day. We must get back to work and run trials for temporary replacements for Spike, Jules and Sam. I'm sure Spike and Jules would like to stay with Sam until they are cleared for duty.

The General nodded and looked at the collection of people around him. They all cared deeply for his son and his son cared deeply about them. They were more than just friends. They were a family.

 _._

 _ **The End … sort of …** sequel titled _**_Trials and Tribulations_** _follows_ _Sam, Spike and Jules as they heal from wounds both physical and emotional received at the hands of Vlad, Dupont, and Logan. It addresses_ _the assault charge against Sam and Dupont's trial. It is full of caring family and friends who help out_ _…_

* * *

 _ **AN:**_ Hope you enjoyed the journey and spending time in my version FP world. If this is the first story of mine you have read and liked my style, **you might enjoy the Beauty of Life world of my own creation.**

I have completed and published the first book in my Beauty of Life series - _**FORSAKEN: On the Edge of Oblivion**_ \- and I'm halfway through writing my second book _SOLACE: Behind the Shield_. My Beauty of Life series _somewhat_ follows the world I have created here and incorporates the my existing FP stories into the flow of the overall story line. There are _necessary changes_ , **NEW content, and NEW twists and turns**.

 ** **FORSAKEN:** ** _On the Edge of Oblivion  
_**** _Beauty of Life, Book One_ ** ** _  
_by Laura Acton****

 **Is now available as an ebook or paperback on Amazon.**  
(note: Kindle ebooks can be read on computers, tablets and phones with a free reader app from Amazon - NO Kindle required.)

 **Come meet Daniel** **William Broderick** , Alexandra 'Lexa' McKenna, Jonathan Hardy, Nicholas Pastore, Dante 'Loki' Baldovino, Abraham 'Bram' De Haven, Raymundo Palomo, Tia Walsh, Walter Gambrill, Brody Mikhail Hunter and the rest of your favorite characters (the General, the Broderick cousins, Blaze, Mason, Patch, etc.). Delve into a complex world of courageous men and women riding a roller coaster of emotions and danger. Explore the nature of relationships and bonds developed, tested and strengthened in the face of adversity.

 **Forsaken Summary:**

Dan Broderick is on the edge of oblivion. After a friendly fire incident, his heart and soul were ripped to shreds. He chose to leave Special Forces when his unit, men he considered brothers, turned their backs on him. Dan returned to Toronto where he hoped to find the beauty of life and make a difference as a sniper for the Tactical Response Force. Will his new team pull him back from the edge or be the reason he slips into oblivion?

Alpha Team is the elite team of Toronto's Tactical Response Force. Five men and one woman with a rare familial bond, help each other cope with the dark side of humanity as they keep the citizens of Toronto and each other safe. Their team balance is knocked off kilter when an unwanted, new teammate is forced on them. Will Alpha Team's resentment of the new member prevent them from recognizing the wounded soul in their midst before it's too late to save him?

* * *

 **FORSAKEN** **contains 80% new content** combined with some tweaked/expanded parts of previous stories. Forsaken begins with Dan's meeting with the General to exit the military. There is an all new way that Dan first meets the team and Lexa (JAM fans should like this way a lot). There will be many injuries along the way in the rough and tumble worlds of the Tactical Response Force and Special Forces.

You can visit **Amazon** and search for **LAURA ACTON** in Kindle books to **read the first 4 chapters** of **FORSAKEN:** _**On the Edge of Oblivion**_ with their look inside feature.


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